Georgia-Pacific
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| Georgia-Pacific | |
|---|---|
 The original uploader was Saucemaster at English Wikipedia. · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source | |
| Name | Georgia-Pacific |
| Type | Private |
| Industry | Pulp and paper industry |
| Founded | 0 1927 |
| Founder | Owen R. Cheatham |
| Hq location | Atlanta |
| Hq country | United States |
| Area served | Worldwide |
| Products | Tissue paper, Paper towel, Dixie Cup, Plywood, Lumber |
| Owner | Koch Industries |
| Num employees | ~30,000 |
| Website | https://www.gp.com/ |
Georgia-Pacific. It is a major American manufacturer and distributor of tissue, pulp, paper, packaging, building products, and related chemicals. Founded in the Southern United States, the company grew from a small lumber wholesaler into one of the world's leading forest products companies. Its extensive portfolio includes widely recognized consumer brands such as Brawny, Quilted Northern, and Angel Soft, alongside a vast array of industrial products. Since 2005, it has operated as a privately held subsidiary of the multinational conglomerate Koch Industries.
History
The company was established in 1927 by entrepreneur Owen R. Cheatham as a small lumber wholesaler in Augusta, Georgia. It expanded significantly after World War II, moving its headquarters to Portland, Oregon in 1954 to be closer to Pacific Northwest timber resources, a shift reflected in its name. Through aggressive acquisitions, such as the purchase of Hudson Pulp & Paper in 1957, it entered the tissue paper business. A pivotal moment came in 1965 with the acquisition of the Dixie Cup Company, solidifying its presence in consumer products. The company faced a major corporate raid in the 1980s, leading to a leveraged buyout that took it private before it returned to the New York Stock Exchange. Its modern era began in 2005 when it was acquired for $21 billion by Koch Industries, one of the largest private transactions in American industrial history.
Products and operations
The company operates through two main business segments: Consumer Products and Building Products. Its Consumer Products division manufactures and markets a vast array of household paper goods, including the Brawny paper towel brand, Quilted Northern bathroom tissue, Angel Soft, and Sparkle paper towels. This division also includes the Dixie Cup line of disposable cups and plates. The Building Products division produces plywood, oriented strand board, lumber, gypsum board, and other materials used in residential and commercial construction. The company also runs a large Pulp & Paper segment and a related Chemicals division, which produces materials like tall oil and flotation deinking agents used in paper recycling. Its manufacturing and distribution facilities are located across North America.
Corporate structure and ownership
Since its acquisition in 2005, the company has been a wholly owned subsidiary of Koch Industries, the second-largest privately held company in the United States by revenue. As a private entity, it does not publicly report detailed financials, but it is a major component of the Koch family business empire. The company is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, and is led by a president and CEO who report to the leadership of Koch Industries. Its operations are integrated within the broader Koch framework, sharing resources and strategies with other Koch subsidiaries like Invista and Molex. This private ownership structure has allowed it to pursue long-term strategies away from the scrutiny of public markets.
Environmental record and controversies
The company has been involved in numerous environmental and legal disputes over several decades. It has faced significant litigation and regulatory actions related to pollution from its pulp and paper mills, particularly concerning the discharge of dioxins and other harmful substances into waterways like the Kalamazoo River and Crossett, Arkansas. A major legal settlement was reached with the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Justice in 2001. It has also been criticized by environmental groups such as the Natural Resources Defense Council and Greenpeace for its forestry practices. Furthermore, the company has been a defendant in thousands of lawsuits related to its historical use of asbestos in certain products, leading to a major bankruptcy reorganization of a former subsidiary in the 1990s.
See also
* Weyerhaeuser * International Paper * Procter & Gamble * Kimberly-Clark * Louisiana-Pacific * Temple-Inland * Sustainable forestry
Category:Companies based in Atlanta Category:Pulp and paper companies of the United States Category:Koch Industries