Georgia-Pacific to Close Augusta, GA, Tissue Mill

Georgia‐Pacific has announced it will permanently close its Augusta tissue mill on Cookie Road. The mill, formerly known as Augusta Select Tissue and part of Georgia‐Pacific’s acquisition of SPG in 2014, made tissue for multiple products.

The decision to close the facility comes after careful review of the current state of the mill and the tissue business. Specifically, this business decision was driven by increased competition in the tissue business and improvement in asset performance at other GP facilities, as well as the size and competitive cost position of the Augusta facility.

Fifty five positions will be impacted by the mill closure, and employees will continue to be paid through June 29, 2018. During the next several days, a GP team will be meeting with each mill employee to discuss opportunities at other GP facilities in the area and region and the benefit options that will be available for those who don’t find a position in the company.

"We know this is a difficult time for the employees at the Augusta mill and their families," said Rob Shaw, vice president of manufacturing who has oversight for the Augusta tissue facility. "This decision is not a reflection on their efforts to operate safely and productively. Our commitment is to work with employees to find ways to minimize the difficulty as best we can. That includes working with state and local employment agencies that can also support these employees."

Some employees will remain on site to manage a safe and orderly shutdown of the facility. The plan for the site is that any usable equipment will be relocated to other GP facilities. Equipment that can’t be moved, including the paper machine, will be dismantled and sold for scrap, and the property will ultimately be sold.

The closure of the tissue mill does not affect GP's Augusta Corrugated plant or its employees.

Based in Atlanta, Georgia‐Pacific and its subsidiaries are among the world’s leading manufacturers and marketers of bath tissue, paper towels and napkins, tableware, paper‐based packaging, office papers, cellulose, specialty fibers, nonwoven fabrics, building products and related chemicals. Its consumer brands include Quilted Northern®, Angel Soft®, Brawny®, Dixie®, enMotion®, Sparkle®, Mardi Gras®, Vanity Fair®, and STAINMASTER™ household cleaning products. Georgia‐Pacific has long been a leading supplier of building products to lumber and building materials dealers and large do‐it‐yourself warehouse retailers. Its GP Harmon Recycling subsidiary is among the world’s largest recyclers of paper, metal and plastics. The company operates nearly 200 facilities and employs approximately 35,000 people directly, and creates nearly 92,000 jobs indirectly. In Augusta, Georgia‐Pacific operates a corrugated facility with approximately 85 employees. Statewide, Georgia‐Pacific continues to operate 18 facilities and employ approximately 7,200 people in Georgia. For more information, visit: www.gp.com