GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Green Bay’s Georgia-Pacific mill, broke ground Wednesday on what it’s calling “Project Cinco.”
G-P is investing $500 million into its new facility, which will be connected to the current building on the building’s north side of its Broadway Mill.
The addition is expected to boost the economy and bring roughly 100 new jobs to the area. Senior GP officials said the complex will raise the number of jobs at the site from roughly 870 to nearly 1,000.
“Those will be technician roles in both maintenance and operations,” Tim Ellsworth, Vice President of Manufacturing for Green Bay Operations said.
Ellsworth tells FOX 11 the jobs will be highly skilled and engaged in the papermaking process. He says the pay will depend on each individual role.
“They’ll be consistent with what we do within the mill. Our average rate is about 29 dollars and 50 cents an hour.”
GP leaders said they created more jobs because of a proven record of success in the area. They said Green Bay has a reputation for making paper. State senator Robert Cowles agreed.
“They get things done here. There’s a lot of real smart people that are involved in this company. This is like a lodestone for the economy of this area.”
The new complex will include a product system, which will primarily make the paper towels. The Broadway mill currently operates seven paper machines and a number of converting operations to make bath tissue, paper towels, napkins and facial tissue for both retail and away-from-home uses.
The project includes a new paper machine and associated converting lines, buildings and infrastructure.
Kim Burns is the Vice President and General Manager of the Retail Towel and Napkin category of Georgia-Pacific in Atlanta. She said making retail products is different from the what the company has traditionally done.
“Consumer demand for ultra premium tissue and towel products is growing significantly, and Georgia Pacific is well positioned to serve this growth.”
Cowles says the $500 million investment is the sign of a long-term commitment to Northeast Wisconsin.
“We want to keep these paper making companies — box companies — going in this state.”
The investment is just a portion of the $1.6 billion in renovations made at the facility over the last 10 years.
When GP announced the expansion last year, the company said it expected the new machine to start up in the first half of 2024.
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