09.01.11
Atlanta, GA
www.gp.com
2011 Nonwovens Sales: $152 million
Plants: Green Bay, WI (two facilities)
Processes: Airlaid, carded
Brands: Airtex, Dritex
Major Markets: Baby wipes, industrial and food service wipes, feminine hygiene, absorbent cores, tabletop, medical, moist toilet tissue, meat packaging
The year 2012 has been all about divestments for Georgia-Pacific (GP). In January, the Lucart Group finalized the takeover of GP’s tissue and airlaid business in Italy, changing the company’s name to Airtissue srl. Additionally, GP finalized the sale of its European tissue business to SCA in 2012. According to executives, consumer tissue represented 60% of European tissue sales while away-from-home sales represented 30% and personal care products like cleansing pads and wipes accounted for about 5%.
Still, GP, which has been owned by Koch Industries since late 2005, continues to operate a sizable business in North America. While it is certainly best known for its paper and tissue businesses in both the retail and away-from-home sectors, the Atlanta, GA-based company is one of the world’s most successful users of airlaid technology. Its output targets both its own end product business as well as external businesses in the baby wipes, industrial and food service wipes, feminine hygiene, absorbent core, tabletop, medical, moist toilet tissue and meat packaging segments.
Meanwhile, GP’s nonwovens business, which centers on airlaid technology, has continued to perform well by improving its production and reducing costs despite challenging raw material prices.
The company benefited from existing contracts, put in place before raw material prices escalated, which kept their impact in check. Additionally, Georgia-Pacific has been successful in unearthing new market segments for its airlaid technology that had been using other materials. These markets were typically using technology that was more expensive than airlaid but the company was able to show how pulp can perform just as well at a lower cost, according to executives.
Successful efforts included reduction in emissions, improved wastewater treatment systems and improved energy efficiency.
www.gp.com
2011 Nonwovens Sales: $152 million
Plants: Green Bay, WI (two facilities)
Processes: Airlaid, carded
Brands: Airtex, Dritex
Major Markets: Baby wipes, industrial and food service wipes, feminine hygiene, absorbent cores, tabletop, medical, moist toilet tissue, meat packaging
The year 2012 has been all about divestments for Georgia-Pacific (GP). In January, the Lucart Group finalized the takeover of GP’s tissue and airlaid business in Italy, changing the company’s name to Airtissue srl. Additionally, GP finalized the sale of its European tissue business to SCA in 2012. According to executives, consumer tissue represented 60% of European tissue sales while away-from-home sales represented 30% and personal care products like cleansing pads and wipes accounted for about 5%.
Still, GP, which has been owned by Koch Industries since late 2005, continues to operate a sizable business in North America. While it is certainly best known for its paper and tissue businesses in both the retail and away-from-home sectors, the Atlanta, GA-based company is one of the world’s most successful users of airlaid technology. Its output targets both its own end product business as well as external businesses in the baby wipes, industrial and food service wipes, feminine hygiene, absorbent core, tabletop, medical, moist toilet tissue and meat packaging segments.
Meanwhile, GP’s nonwovens business, which centers on airlaid technology, has continued to perform well by improving its production and reducing costs despite challenging raw material prices.
The company benefited from existing contracts, put in place before raw material prices escalated, which kept their impact in check. Additionally, Georgia-Pacific has been successful in unearthing new market segments for its airlaid technology that had been using other materials. These markets were typically using technology that was more expensive than airlaid but the company was able to show how pulp can perform just as well at a lower cost, according to executives.
Successful efforts included reduction in emissions, improved wastewater treatment systems and improved energy efficiency.