Georgia-Pacific announced that its Palatka, Florida, mill has been selected as the location for the company’s previously announced investment of more than $400 million in its GP Consumer (retail) tissue and towel business. The investment supports continued growth for key customers’ premium private label towel products.
Investments to the Palatka mill include building a new paper machine using through-air-dried (TAD) technology, as well as adding associated converting equipment and infrastructure. Engineering and related work is beginning immediately, and startup of the upgraded operation is scheduled for 2019.
Approximately 80 jobs will be created to operate the new papermaking complex, in addition to the mill’s 850 current employees. An average of 160 construction and contract-related workers are expected to be onsite at the mill every day during the project, with a potential peak of 700 contract workers per day at the height of construction.
The Palatka mill currently operates two kraft paper machines, three paper machines manufacturing paper for bath tissue and paper towels, and a number of converting operations producing finished paper products.
The improvements will allow Georgia-Pacific’s current and potential customers to grow their premium private label towel brands, as well as expand the company’s Brawny® premium paper towel brand.
In Florida, Georgia-Pacific operates three facilities and employs nearly 1,600 people with total annual compensation and benefits of more than $143 million.
