Paper Manufacturing
Two separate businesses, one in Canada and one in the U.S., operate paper mills that collectively employ approximately 500 people and produce newsprint and a variety of coated printing papers.
Alberta Newsprint Company
Alberta Newsprint Company (ANC) is an unincorporated joint venture owned equally by Whitecourt Newsprint Company Limited Partnership (whose general partner is a Stern Partners company) and West Fraser Mills Ltd. Ron Stern was instrumental in the development and start-up of ANC, a $400 million greenfield project completed in 1990. The ANC mill is among the lowest cost and highest quality newsprint manufacturers in North America.
West Linn Paper Company
West Linn Paper Company produces coated free-sheet printing paper at its mill in West Linn, Oregon, just south of Portland. It is the longest-running active paper mill and the only coated free-sheet manufacturer in the Western United States. The paper mill was purchased, completely restructured under a new business plan with a new workforce, and restarted successfully in 1997.
Apparel Manufacturing
Western Glove Works
Founded in 1921, Western Glove Works is one of Canada's largest full-service manufacturers of jeans and casual wear. Robert Silver, Stern Partners and others have been partners in Western Glove for over 25 years. Headquartered in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Western Glove produces its own lines of jeans carrying the "Silver Jeans" and "1921" labels. Western Glove also produces the "dVb" line of jeans in partnership with Victoria Beckham, as well as Jag jeans and private label apparel for a range of leading names.
Packaging
Flexstar Packaging Inc.
Flexstar Packaging Inc., based in Richmond, British Columbia, was acquired in 2005 with the participation of a former manager of Sonoco Products Company and an active Vancouver investor. Flexstar manufactures custom printed, laminated, flexible roll-stock and specialty films for the consumer and industrial markets in North America. Flexstar's products include barrier laminations for food products, plain and printed films, cold seal roll stock, foil laminations, boilable, microwavable and retortable laminates, pre-made bags and pouches, and unprinted industrial/converter film.
Horticultural Products Manufacturing
Greenstar Plant Products Inc.
Greenstar Plant Products Inc. produces premium and traditional garden and growing products and solutions for commercial and domestic use. Based in Langley, British Columbia, Greenstar manufactures environmentally sound and organic products under its "Grotek" label, including its own line of "Earth Safe" products. Greenstar also has a distribution division that supplies garden and growing products to commercial operators for international use.