Georgia-Pacific officially opened its new gypsum wallboard production facility in Sweetwater, Texas. Initially announced in September 2020, the $325 million facility is Georgia-Pacific's second gypsum wallboard production facility in Nolan County, and the first Georgia-Pacific has built since 2004.
The Sweetwater Complex is more than 700,000 square feet. One of the most innovative gypsum facilities in the country, the newest addition to the Georgia-Pacific gypsum system features state-of-the-art technology and is designed to help ensure safety, quality, and efficiency.
"Georgia-Pacific is keenly focused on the future and committed to innovation and meeting the needs of our customers," said David Neal, president of Georgia-Pacific Gypsum. "The two operations combined will supply customers and distribution partners with more than 1 billion square feet of gypsum products each year and create more than 100 new jobs. This investment strengthens Georgia-Pacific's capacity to meet growing customer needs in Texas' residential, commercial, and industrial construction markets."
The new facility is adjacent to Georgia-Pacific's first gypsum wallboard facility in Sweetwater, purchased by Georgia-Pacific in 1996. The existing facility has been operating in Nolan County since the 1950s. Over the last year, Georgia-Pacific has also invested approximately $16 million in technical and safety upgrades at the plant, including an Energy Optimization System (EOS), auto-guided vehicles (AGVs), an automated robotic riser system, auto-splicing equipment, and upgraded packaging equipment. The company also upgraded its employee facilities.
Georgia-Pacific has invested more than $735 million into its Texas facilities since 2013. Georgia-Pacific has approximately 2,520 employees in Texas, and operates 10 facilities that produce plywood, lumber, particleboard, gypsum, and corrugated products.
