Marcal Paper workers start job hunt after devastating fire
ELMWOOD PARK — The parent company of Marcal Paper said Monday that its future in New Jersey remains uncertain after a 10-alarm fire destroyed its Bergen County facility.
Most of the 500 employees at the borough plant are out of work, according to a statement from Soundview Paper Company. Each worker is being offered $5,500 in transition aid and will see their current healthcare plans extended through March 31.
Marcal employees are eligible to apply for State Unemployment/Displaced Worker Benefits.
The company today opened a special employment website, listing similar positions available through Soundview’s parent company, Atlas Holdings. Some jobs are in New Jersey, while others are out of state.
Marcal’s operations in Putney, Vermont, will be expanded. Some of the New Jersey workers will remain employed in order to move surviving inventory and equipment.
In the company's statement, Soundview said: "We have been reminded what the Marcal sign has meant to so many; that this company was not only a trusted employer and an iconic business, but a symbol of New Jersey’s historic manufacturing legacy. We are appreciative for the outpouring of love and support which sustain all of us through this very difficult time.”
The intensity and size of the fire has required air quality monitoring by the state Department of Environmental Protection as well as officials with Bergen County Health and Hazmat.
"To date, air quality readings in and around the area are normal," according to a statement posted to the borough's website.
There has been no possible cause determined yet for the Jan. 30 fire.
EDITOR'S NOTE: An earlier version of this article should have said that that company behind Marcal Paper said it was not certain about its future in New Jersey.
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