Gov. Asa Hutchinson signed a letter of intent with a Chinese paper company to study the feasibility of building a $1.3 billion pulp mill in Arkansas.
Hutchinson and Mike Preston, executive director of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, inked the document Monday with Shandong Sun Paper Industry during their trade trip to Japan and China.
The document does not indicate any possible locations for the plant, but a timeline outlined in the letter says Sun Paper will begin the study Dec. 31 and select a site by May 1, 2016. The Arkansas facility would be the company's first mill in North America, the letter says.
Hutchinson traveled to China and Japan last week to meet with political leaders and business figures in each country. He's scheduled to return to the state Tuesday.
Read Tuesday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.
