Domtar reaches 1,000,000 Hours Without Recordable Injury at Tissue Mill in Hialeah, FL

All of our Domtar facilities embody our corporate culture, but each has its own unique personality, crafted year after year by the people who work there and influenced by the communities where they live, work and play. Our Hialeah Tissue Mill in Hialeah, Florida, is no exception.

The mill is one of the few fully integrated tissue manufacturers in North America. It produces virgin and recycled tissue products in a variety of grades for the at-home and away-from-home markets. The mill boasts a number of environmental certifications and has achieved several safety milestones, most recently in 2024 when it reached 1,000,000 hours without a recordable injury.

What makes the Hialeah tissue mill so special?  According to Dinorah Diaz, a payroll specialist and human resources generalist who has been part of the Hialeah team since 1989, it comes down to respect and honesty.

Caring is one of Domtar’s core company values, highlighting the importance of celebrating teamwork and actively cultivating a culture of trust. Our values—caring, accountability, collaboration and entrepreneurship — are shared by Hialeah’s team of more than 220 people, many of whom have been with the mill for years and a significant proportion of which comes from Hispanic and Latino communities. The team works together to produce 100 tons of tissue per day on two tissue machines and seven converting lines.  

In her role, Diaz often hears from employees that the collaborative work environment at Hialeah is exceptional and not typical at other companies. “We have a very low turnover. Everybody knows each other. We become like a big family,” she says. “And everybody here takes their job very seriously.”

This sense of pride and professionalism, which Diaz describes as integral to Latino culture, has compelled many employees to refer friends and family members for jobs at the mill. “When you’re living something you’re happy with, you want your family or friends to experience it too,” she says. 

She points out that many of the Hialeah tissue mill’s supervisors and managers began their careers there and were promoted to more senior roles as their skill sets expanded. Their trajectories allow them to relate to new hires and guide them as they develop their own careers. “When someone comes in new, the people that have been here longest embrace that person,” Diaz explains. “They try to help and guide her.” 

Chris Chappell, general manager of the Hialeah tissue mill, shares Diaz’s view of the mill’s unique character. “The people that work here are team-spirited, and there is no challenge they can’t overcome — that has been proven time and time again,” he says. “The employees are local, and the environment is like family, supporting each other day to day.” 

Diaz’s greatest asset is her ability to connect with people and establish relationships. Her job has given her the opportunity to interact with every member of the team at our Hialeah tissue mill. Often, she can guess what someone needs from the moment they arrive at her office.

“I love the fact that I can help people,” she says. “My door will always be open for you, and if I don’t know the answer, we will find it together.”