The CEO of Kruger believes the future of Corner Brook Pulp and Paper is bright and he’s proud of the mill’s 300-plus workers.

Roman Gallo was responding to the company’s latest agreement with the provincial government in an attempt to secure the future of its Corner Brook operation.

In November, the company unexpectedly paused operations at Corner Brook Pulp and Paper for a week, prompting concern from both the city and provincial government.

On Friday, Kruger announced that a deal had been reached with government to sell excess power generated at its Deer Lake power plant to NL Hydro, while the company will also be able to sell saw-logs to local sawmills.

CEO Gallo says the agreements will allow the company time to come up with a plan to diversify operations, and that includes the possible development of biofuels.

Even though they won’t get into the numbers, he calls it a win-win for everybody. He says it will allow them another way to generate revenue for the mill, and says it’s a way to provide something to government and NL Hydro that’s “very valuable to them.”

Gallo was asked for a message to Corner Brook Pulp and Paper’s workers.

“The first thing is that I’m proud of them,” he says. “They are a can-do group of people.” As for the future of the facility? “I have a high level of optimism,” says Gallo. “That mill, that asset, and their employment, and the benefit that all of that brings to the island of Newfoundland, it’s going to be there for a very, very long time.”