DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration

TA-W-91,008

EXPERA OLD TOWN, LLC
EXPERA SPECIALTY SOLUTIONS, LLC
INCLUDING WORKERS REPORTING WAGES UNDER RED SHIELD ACQUISITION
D/B/A OLD TOWN FUEL AND FIBER
OLD TOWN, MAINE

Certification Regarding Eligibility
To Apply for Worker Adjustment Assistance

In accordance with Section 223 of the Trade Act of 1974, as
amended ("Act"), 19 U.S.C. § 2273, the Department of Labor herein
presents the results of an investigation regarding certification
of eligibility to apply for worker adjustment assistance.
The group eligibility requirements for workers of a firm
under Section 222(a) of the Act, 19 U.S.C. § 2272(a), are
satisfied if the following criteria are met:
(1) a significant number or proportion of the workers in such
workers' firm have become totally or partially separated, or are
threatened to become totally or partially separated; and

(2)(A)(i) the sales or production, or both, of such firm have
decreased absolutely; and

(ii)(I) imports of articles or services like or directly
competitive with articles produced or services supplied by
such firm have increased; and

(iii) the increase in imports described in clause (ii)
contributed importantly to such workers' separation or threat
of separation and to the decline in the sales or production
of such firm.


The investigation was initiated in response to a petition
filed on October 1, 2015 by the state workforce office on behalf
of workers of Expera Old Town, LLC, Expera Specialty Solutions,
LLC, including workers reporting wages under Red Shield
Acquisition, D/B/A Old Town Fuel and Fiber, Old Town, Maine
(Expera). The workers' firm is engaged in activities related to
the production of northern bleached softwood kraft pulp (NBSK) and
northern bleached hardwood kraft pulp (NBHK). The subject worker
group is not separately identifiable by product line.
During the course of the investigation, information was
collected from the workers' firm and news articles.
Section 222(a)(1) has been met because a significant number
or proportion of the workers in such workers' firm have become
totally or partially separated, or are threatened to become
totally or partially separated.
Section 222(a)(2)(A)(i) has been met because the sales
and/or production of NBSK and NBHK by Expera have decreased
absolutely.
Section 222(a)(2)(A)(ii) has been met because imports of
articles like or directly competitive with the articles by
Expera have increased during the relevant period.
Finally, Section 222(a)(2)(A)(iii) has been met because
increased company imports contributed importantly to the worker
group separations and sales/production declines at Expera.
Conclusion
After careful review of the facts obtained in the
investigation, I determine that workers of Expera Old Town, LLC,
Old Town, Maine, who are engaged in activities related to the
production of NBSK and NBHK, meet the worker group certification
criteria under Section 222(a) of the Act, 19 U.S.C. § 2272(a). In
accordance with Section 223 of the Act, 19 U.S.C. § 2273, I make
the following certification:
"All workers of Expera Old Town, LLC, Expera Specialty
Solutions, LLC, including workers reporting wages under Red
Shield Acquisition, D/B/A Old Town Fuel and Fiber, Old Town,
Maine, who became totally or partially separated from
employment on or after September 30, 2014 through two years
from the date of certification, and all workers in the group
threatened with total or partial separation from employment
on the date of certification through two years from the date
of certification, are eligible to apply for adjustment
assistance under Chapter 2 of Title II of the Trade Act of
1974, as amended."
Signed in Washington, D.C. this 5th day of December, 2015

/s/Del Min Amy Chen
______________________________
DEL MIN AMY CHEN
Certifying Officer, Office of
Trade Adjustment Assistance