RUMFORD — Forty-one hourly NewPage Corp. employees who were laid off in February are being recalled to operate the No. 12 paper machine, Tony Lyons, NewPage spokesman, said late Wednesday afternoon.

The No. 12 paper machine manufactures coated paper used in catalogs and magazines.

“This is good news,” Lyons said.

In November 2013, the Rumford mill announced it would shut down the No. 12 paper machine due to “tough economic conditions.” About 120 workers would be laid off, Local 900 President Ron Hemingway said at the time. The mill then employed 830 people.

Lyons said the No. 12 machine wasn’t shut down. Instead, “we stopped making paper on it and made rolled pulp for internal use,” he said. “No. 12 was never shut down.”

Lyons said the majority of hourly workers who were laid off, “will have an opportunity to come back on.” He said some positions were permanently eliminated.

tkarkos@sunjournal.com