Irving Tissue celebrated its fifth anniversary in Macon by announcing plans to give the community 100 new jobs in a $600 million expansion on Allen Road in south Bibb County.
In Tuesday’s announcement, Gov. Brian Kemp noted Irving Tissue has invested about $1.5 billion since 2017 and initially brought more than 400 jobs to the Sofkee Industrial Park.
“Irving Tissue is an incredible employer for the region and our state, and we are excited that they continue to re-invest in Georgia and Macon-Bibb County,” Kemp said in the news release announcing the expansion. “Congratulations to Irving Tissue for a successful five years in Georgia, and we look forward to many more years of partnership to come.”
Irving Tissue makes bath tissue, paper towels, facial tissue and napkins distributed by retailers in North America. The company is part of Irving Consumer Products that manufactures household paper and baby diaper products.
Company president Robert K. Irving, who traveled to Macon for the announcement, said the expansion will include a third ThruAir Dry paper making machine, additional converting lines and a new fully-automated warehouse.
“We greatly appreciate the State of Georgia’s commitment to economic prosperity, jobs and growth. The team’s drive to promote the state’s advantages, while fostering a positive business environment, helped make this investment possible,” Irving said in the release. “We’ve also been able to expand because of the highly-skilled workforce in the area and the continued support of our valued employees, customers and supplies.”
Mayor Lester Miller, who serves on the Macon-Bibb County Industrial Authority, said Irving is not just a business in Macon but a team member.
“They have a deep commitment to our community and its people, and their decision to expand here speaks volumes about the strong foundation they’ve built,” Miller said in the release. “This growth means more success stories for Macon, and we’re proud to celebrate this milestone with them.”
Industrial Authority Chairman Robby Fountain said working with Irving the past five years has been an “incredible journey.”
“From the moment they arrived in Macon, they became a valued part of our community, and it’s been amazing to see how they’ve grown and thrived here,” Fountain said. “This expansion is a testament to their hard work and dedication, as well as the strong connection they’ve built with Macon.”
Georgia’s commissioner of the Department of Economic Development Pat Wilson said Irving Tissue has demonstrated what it means to become “part of the fabric of the community.”
“Each expansion builds on the partnerships and collaboration that helped Irving Tissue fulfill its prior commitments to Macon-Bibb County, supported by the state’s business-friendly environment and world class logistics infrastructure that will connect Irving’s Macon facility to markets across the East Coast.”
The expansion is expected to increase Irving’s annual capacity from 30 million cases to 45 million cases each year.
Although no timeline for construction was announced, the company expects the project will generate 1.2 million hours of work for contractors. The first phase of construction employed more than 1,000 people at its peak with more than 50 contractors and dozens more subcontractors.
— Civic Journalism Senior Fellow Liz Fabian covers Macon-Bibb County government entities for The Macon Newsroom and can be reached at [email protected] or 478-301-2976.
