Mill manager Bob Grygotis (left) with rodeo champion Randy Norwood.

Randy Norwood from the wood yard department won a Lift Truck Rodeo at the Ashdown mill of Domtar Inc.

The competition involved 122 participants from the paper mill's production, maintenance and salaried workforce staffs.

During the 26-28 March competition, Domtar utilised models of Hyster forklifts including clamp-equipped units from the Briggs Equipment Inc dealership. Briggs has Arkansas locations in Little Rock and Springdale.

The original mill in Ashdown opened in 1968, expanded to include four paper machines and became part of the Domtar organisation in 2001.

Currently, Ashdown is the only mill within the Domtar system conducting a forklift rodeo. The Ashdown mill developed its rodeo program in 2000 and focuses on aspects of safety during the competition.

The Pulp and Paper Safety Association of Peachtree Corners, Georgia named the Ashdown facility as the safest mill in its large mill category in 2013.

Domtar of Montreal, Quebec, Canada operates 10 paper mills and 15 converting centres and ranks as the largest integrated producer of uncoated free-sheet paper in North America.