Georgia-Pacific will invest at least $425 million to construct a state-of-the-art Dixie® manufacturing facility in Jackson, TN. The project, located in the Highway 223 East Site, a Select Tennessee Certified Site, will create 220 new jobs in Madison County.
Georgia-Pacific’s Jackson plant will focus on manufacturing Dixie® paper plates to support the company’s increase in product demand across its three Dixie® facilities. Construction on the new 900,000-square-foot facility is slated to begin before the end of the year and anticipated to reach completion by summer 2024.
“Although we have invested to expand existing sites, this is the first new Dixie® plant the company has built since 1991,” said Fernando Gonzalez, president of consumer business, Georgia-Pacific. “This added capacity will help us meet the needs of our customers as consumer demand for high-quality, durable paper plates and bowls continues to grow.”
“Companies choose to invest in Tennessee because of our skilled workforce and unmatched business climate,” said Governor Bill Lee. “I commend Georgia-Pacific’s commitment to create more than 200 jobs in Jackson so that Tennesseans across the region can thrive.”
A subsidiary of Koch Industries, Inc., Georgia-Pacific makes bath tissue, paper towels and napkins, Dixie® disposable tableware, paper-based packaging, cellulose, specialty fibers and building products. By adding a Tennessee facility, Georgia-Pacific will have a total of six operations dedicated to manufacturing Dixie® products, including four that produce plates and bowls.“Having an inventory of shovel-ready industrial sites gives Tennessee communities a leg up when recruiting new businesses to the state,” commented Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD) Commissioner Stuart McWhorter. “We are proud that Georgia-Pacific found its home in Jackson on one of our state’s Select Tennessee Certified Sites, and we thank our partners at CSX who helped to make this site ready for this significant economic development win.”
Manufacturing Companies Invest Over $605M In Tennessee
Since 2018, TNECD has supported nearly 60 economic development projects in the Southwest Tennessee region, resulting in approximately 9,800 job commitments and $6.6 billion in capital investment.
“This major investment in our community not only further strengthens our local economy but also emphasizes our area’s qualified workforce and great location for companies to thrive,” said Madison County Mayor AJ Massey. “Through our K-12 schools, technical college and universities, we are continuing to focus on developing the skills to create a workforce capable of meeting the needs of our industries both now and in the future.”
“We are excited and grateful for the more than $400 million investment Georgia-Pacific is making at its Jackson Dixie® plant in our growing community,” added Jackson Mayor Scott Conger. “This is a thrilling moment for Jackson as this project is the largest single investment in our history. It has been a pleasure working with the Georgia-Pacific team over the last 18 months and we are proud the company is calling Jackson home.”