JACKSON, Miss. September 16, 2005 -- In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, Georgia-Pacific (NYSE: GP) plans to restart two idled Mississippi building products facilities: the Gloster plywood plant and the Roxie sawmill. The company expects to hire approximately 500 workers and the state estimates that more than 1,000 indirect jobs will be created through suppliers including transportation companies. The facilities are expected to be operational by the end of the year.
"Georgia-Pacific has been a valued corporate citizen of Mississippi for years," Governor Haley Barbour said. "Mississippi is grateful for Georgia-Pacific's continued support, especially in the wake of Hurricane Katrina."
"I am proud of the response we are seeing from our private and corporate citizens, as well as people and organizations from around the world. It assures us that Mississippi will be rebuilt bigger and better than ever," Governor Barbour continued.
"This has been an incredibly trying time for Mississippi and neighboring states. At Georgia-Pacific, we're truly thankful to be in a position to assist the people of Mississippi by creating jobs and at the same time, providing much-needed materials to rebuild homes and businesses in the aftermath of Katrina," said A.D. "Pete" Correll, chairman and chief executive officer of Georgia-Pacific. "As a long-time citizen of Mississippi, we’re delighted to restart these facilities and in some way help revitalize the state."
The company is working with state forestry officials as well as private landowners to salvage timber damaged by the storm and use it in forest products manufacturing in the region. The facilities being restarted initially will rely on salvaged timber to meet their needs for logs.
Georgia-Pacific has been working with relief agencies such as The American Red Cross and The Salvation Army to assist in wide-spread Katrina relief efforts. The company has committed more than $2.5 million of in-kind donations of paper towels, bath tissue and disposable tableware. In addition, Georgia-Pacific employees have donated more than $171,000 to date, which will be fully matched by the company.
Georgia-Pacific built the Gloster plywood plant in 1967 and acquired the Roxie lumber mill in 1973. The Gloster facility produces plywood, with a production capacity of 285 million square feet of panels each year, while the Roxie facility produces 100 million board feet of lumber. The Gloster site will employ nearly 350 people and the Roxie site will employ more than 100 people.
"Mississippi remains a great place to do business with a motivated workforce, low cost of doing business and state and local governments that are actively seeking development," stated Leland Speed, executive director of Mississippi Development Authority. "Our efforts to assist existing companies and attract new ones to the state are undiminished."
About Mississippi Development Authority
Mississippi Development Authority is the State of Mississippi’s lead economic and community development agency. Nearly 300 employees are engaged in providing services to businesses, communities and workers in the state. While the agency is best known for its efforts to recruit new businesses to Mississippi, the Authority provides services to promote tourism, helps communities improve their quality of place, helps existing employers identify and meet opportunities and challenges and helps workers improve their skills - all with the goal of improving the quality of life and economic well-being of Mississippians. For more information, visit MDA’s website at www.mississippi.org.
About Georgia-Pacific
In Mississippi, Georgia-Pacific employs approximately 3,500 people at 20 facilities including: two plywood facilities at Taylorsville and Louisville, five lumber facilities at Bay Springs, Columbia, New Augusta, Taylorsville and Tylertown, three particleboard facilities at Louisville, Eupora and Taylorsville, one thermally-fused melamine facility at Oxford, one oriented strand board facility at Grenada, one containerboard facility at Monticello, three chip mills at Columbus, Louisville and Taylorsville, two chemical facilities at Louisville and Taylorsville and one corrugated graphic packaging facility at Pelahatchie.
Headquartered at Atlanta, Georgia-Pacific is one of the world’s leading manufacturers and marketers of tissue, packaging, paper, building products and related chemicals. With 2004 annual sales of approximately $20 billion, the company employs 55,000 people at more than 300 locations in North America and Europe. Its familiar consumer tissue brands include Quilted Northern®, Angel Soft®, Brawny®, Sparkle®, Soft 'n Gentle®, Mardi Gras®, So-Dri® and Vanity Fair®, as well as the Dixie® brand of disposable cups, plates and cutlery. Georgia-Pacific’s building products manufacturing business has long been among the nation’s leading supplier of building products to lumber and building materials dealers and large do-it-yourself warehouse retailers. For more information, visit www.gp.com.
Contact:
James C. Malone (404) 652-6031
Media Contact:
Robin Keegan (404) 652-4713
