Georgia-Pacific, Atlanta, Ga., USA, is investing in its Madison, Ga.,
plywood operations, with recent and planned investments expected to
total $65 million. This includes a planned $26 million upgrade to the
mill's veneer dryers that will increase drying capacity by approximately
35%. Project completion is expected by the third quarter of 2015. This
follows the replacement of the mill's woodyard in June, totaling
approximately $19 million.
Plans are also underway to modernize other equipment at the Madison facility, which would total approximately $20 million and include an upgrade of a lathe and expansion of a glue line and pressing operations. Decisions for those investments are anticipated to be made before the end of 2014.
G-P also is evaluating the potential restart of an idled plywood mill either in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, or North Carolina. Potential restart of an idled operation will be determined by market conditions, access to wood supply, an engineering analysis for required permitting, installation of equipment, and facility upgrades. Following review and site selection, a restart could occur in the fourth quarter of 2015.
G-P has 13 plywood facilities across the U.S., two of which are located in Madison and Warm Springs, Ga. The company employs approximately 6,200 people directly in the state of Georgia, with approximately 450 people located at the Madison operations.TAPPI
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