American pulp and paper products manufacturer Georgia-Pacific said Wednesday that it is investing $145 million to expand production of Dixie brand plates and bowls at its Darlington, SC plant. 

“This truly is an investment in our customers and consumers who use our products and value the Dixie brand,” David Duncan, executive vice president of Georgia-Pacific’s Consumer Products Group, said in a company press release. “The demand for our plates and bowls continues to grow as consumers value the Dixie brand’s unique combination of convenience and performance.”

Work on the project is slated to begin this March. Georgia-Pacific will install new machinery, including a plate printing press, and build a new warehouse at the site. The company said it intends to complete the project by the first quarter of 2022. 

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“This is an exciting investment for our employees and our community. It will transform the Darlington plant into a modern and competitive operation,” Darlington plant director Abraham Adkins said in a statement. 

No new jobs will be created as a result of the investment. 

Georgia-Pacific also stated that it will shutter a cup plant in Darlington this September and a distribution center in the community in 2021. Impacted workers are being offered positions at the firm’s other plate production plants, other roles within Georgia-Pacific or Koch companies, or jobs outside of the company. 

In mid-2019, the company revealed plans to close three particleboard production facilities in the U.S., including a plant in Thomson, GA that was heavily damaged in a fire.

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