01.01.02
Location: Atlanta, GA
Sales: $135 Million
Description: Key Personnel
Mike Burandt, president, Consumer Business, North America; John Lundgren, president, European Consumer Business; Paul Farren, vice president and general manager Nonwovens; Remi Perin, sales manager, French Operation; Massimo Conforti, sales manager, Italian Operation; Mike Sprangers, sales manager, North America; Tom Kalupa, senior sales representative; John Rank, sales representative
Plants
Green Bay, WI (two facilities); Glen, France; Avigliano, Italy
ISO Status
Both U.S. plants ISO 9002 certified; Italy plant ISO 9002 certified; France plant ISO 9002 certified
Processes
Airlaid, carded
Brand Names
Airtex, Dritex
Major Markets
Baby wipes, industrial and food service wipers, feminine hygiene, absorbent core, tabletop, medical, moist toilet tissue, meat packaging
Georgia-Pacific made its debut on our list last year after acquiring Fort James in Deerfield, IL, and the company is already gearing up for another transformation. G-P’s consumer products business will be renamed later this year when the company separates it from the Building Products business. The company announced the separation in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission in June.
The rationale for the separation is multifaceted. For one, it will provide clear identity and focus for each business to develop strategically consistent with the fundamentals of their businesses. Furthermore, the split will clarify the makeup and strategic goals of each business to the investment community, customers and suppliers. The Consumer Products business is a leading marketer of retail and commercial paper towel, tissue and napkin products in the U.S. and manufactures such leading brands as Dixie paper plates and cups.
Turning toward the company’s nonwovens business, G-P designated it a separate business unit of the company in January, signaling the company’s commitment to nonwovens. As part of the designation, Paul Farren, who had previously served as vice president of business operations and supply chain management for the company’s commercial business, was named vice president and general manager of the business. The nonwovens division incorporates the company’s nonwovens retail, commercial and roll goods operations.
Forming a nonwovens division has created visibility throughout the company. This has resulted in galvanizing the manufacturing product development, sales and marketing, and research and development areas as a team in creatively growing the business.
With approximately 65,000 metric tons of annual capacity, the company is constantly assessing plans for expansion. “Georgia-Pacific is dedicated to growing its business,” Mr. Farren said. “We are constantly bringing our machines up to capabilities, and we are looking at options to grow our business from a technology and market opportunity perspective.”
One way in which G-P can differentiate itself from many other roll goods manufacturers is through its presence in consumer markets. As both a nonwovens producer and a manufacturer of wipes, toilet paper, paper towels and other products, G-P can better serve its roll goods customers through knowledge gained in its consumer products business. “When our roll goods customers define their market and product requirements, we can relate and validate these requirements based on inputs we gain from our internal services,” Mr. Farren explained. “This helps us to work with our roll goods customers as partners in product development.”
Still, G-P pays equal attention to both its roll goods customers and its consumer business and plans to invest in both areas to grow the business.
In its consumer business, one area of increasing interest for G-P is the moist tissue and toilet paper segment. The company recently re-launched its Quilted Northern Moist Toilet Paper with a new dispenser. Also, on the nonwovens side, G-P has launched the Brawny Shop Towel, a sturdy dry wiping product, designed for tough cleaning jobs.
The aforementioned products and others like them constitute approximately one-third of G-P’s nonwovens output. The remaining two-thirds are sold externally and primarily target the wipes segment, but other areas of interest include medical and feminine hygiene, according to Mr. Farren.
In the past 18 months, new airlaid capacity has come onstream at a record-breaking pace around the world, plaguing the segment with overcapacity and pricing pressures. While the timeline for the airlaid market’s recovery from overcapacity is uncertain, G-P will continue to concentrate on developing both the roll gods and consumer product business. This will allow the company to view the business from two sides to better serve its customers—both as a roll goods producer and a consumer products manufacturer.
“We will certainly meet the continued value-added requirements of our roll goods customers but we will also look to meet the needs of our consumer products business,” Mr. Farren predicted. “Both businesses reinforce one another, and both benefit from its synergies. We will continue to draw from our research development strength of existing and new patent development and align these capabilities, which require technology for future product development. Our customers have high expectations for G-P’s nonwovens and they can count on the fact that G-P will continue to deliver against their future needs.”
Sales: $135 Million
Description: Key Personnel
Mike Burandt, president, Consumer Business, North America; John Lundgren, president, European Consumer Business; Paul Farren, vice president and general manager Nonwovens; Remi Perin, sales manager, French Operation; Massimo Conforti, sales manager, Italian Operation; Mike Sprangers, sales manager, North America; Tom Kalupa, senior sales representative; John Rank, sales representative
Plants
Green Bay, WI (two facilities); Glen, France; Avigliano, Italy
ISO Status
Both U.S. plants ISO 9002 certified; Italy plant ISO 9002 certified; France plant ISO 9002 certified
Processes
Airlaid, carded
Brand Names
Airtex, Dritex
Major Markets
Baby wipes, industrial and food service wipers, feminine hygiene, absorbent core, tabletop, medical, moist toilet tissue, meat packaging
Georgia-Pacific made its debut on our list last year after acquiring Fort James in Deerfield, IL, and the company is already gearing up for another transformation. G-P’s consumer products business will be renamed later this year when the company separates it from the Building Products business. The company announced the separation in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission in June.
The rationale for the separation is multifaceted. For one, it will provide clear identity and focus for each business to develop strategically consistent with the fundamentals of their businesses. Furthermore, the split will clarify the makeup and strategic goals of each business to the investment community, customers and suppliers. The Consumer Products business is a leading marketer of retail and commercial paper towel, tissue and napkin products in the U.S. and manufactures such leading brands as Dixie paper plates and cups.
Turning toward the company’s nonwovens business, G-P designated it a separate business unit of the company in January, signaling the company’s commitment to nonwovens. As part of the designation, Paul Farren, who had previously served as vice president of business operations and supply chain management for the company’s commercial business, was named vice president and general manager of the business. The nonwovens division incorporates the company’s nonwovens retail, commercial and roll goods operations.
Forming a nonwovens division has created visibility throughout the company. This has resulted in galvanizing the manufacturing product development, sales and marketing, and research and development areas as a team in creatively growing the business.
With approximately 65,000 metric tons of annual capacity, the company is constantly assessing plans for expansion. “Georgia-Pacific is dedicated to growing its business,” Mr. Farren said. “We are constantly bringing our machines up to capabilities, and we are looking at options to grow our business from a technology and market opportunity perspective.”
One way in which G-P can differentiate itself from many other roll goods manufacturers is through its presence in consumer markets. As both a nonwovens producer and a manufacturer of wipes, toilet paper, paper towels and other products, G-P can better serve its roll goods customers through knowledge gained in its consumer products business. “When our roll goods customers define their market and product requirements, we can relate and validate these requirements based on inputs we gain from our internal services,” Mr. Farren explained. “This helps us to work with our roll goods customers as partners in product development.”
Still, G-P pays equal attention to both its roll goods customers and its consumer business and plans to invest in both areas to grow the business.
In its consumer business, one area of increasing interest for G-P is the moist tissue and toilet paper segment. The company recently re-launched its Quilted Northern Moist Toilet Paper with a new dispenser. Also, on the nonwovens side, G-P has launched the Brawny Shop Towel, a sturdy dry wiping product, designed for tough cleaning jobs.
The aforementioned products and others like them constitute approximately one-third of G-P’s nonwovens output. The remaining two-thirds are sold externally and primarily target the wipes segment, but other areas of interest include medical and feminine hygiene, according to Mr. Farren.
In the past 18 months, new airlaid capacity has come onstream at a record-breaking pace around the world, plaguing the segment with overcapacity and pricing pressures. While the timeline for the airlaid market’s recovery from overcapacity is uncertain, G-P will continue to concentrate on developing both the roll gods and consumer product business. This will allow the company to view the business from two sides to better serve its customers—both as a roll goods producer and a consumer products manufacturer.
“We will certainly meet the continued value-added requirements of our roll goods customers but we will also look to meet the needs of our consumer products business,” Mr. Farren predicted. “Both businesses reinforce one another, and both benefit from its synergies. We will continue to draw from our research development strength of existing and new patent development and align these capabilities, which require technology for future product development. Our customers have high expectations for G-P’s nonwovens and they can count on the fact that G-P will continue to deliver against their future needs.”