Green Bay Packaging to invest in Arkansas mill

Green Bay Packaging (GBP) has revealed plans for a “substantial investment” in the modernization of its Arkansas Kraft Division containerboard mill in Morrilton, Arkansas, the latest in a series of moves the Green Bay, Wisconsin-based company has made this year to expand its operational footprint.

The multiyear project will “significantly enhance” the Arkansas Kraft mill and, according to GBP, underscores its commitment to sustainable practices and operational efficiency. GBP’s Arkansas Kraft Division is a fully integrated pulp and containerboard mill that consumes virgin and recovered fiber to produce kraft linerboard and corrugated medium.

The investment includes the replacement of key processing components, including the recovery boiler and biomass boiler infrastructure. Additionally, GBP is set to install an electric turbine generator, which it says is an integral element of its decarbonization strategy that will reduce its Scopes 1 and 2 emissions.

The project also includes the acquisition of about 300 acres of land for future investments and expansion, a move the company says positions the mill for the long term.

Financial terms of the investment were not disclosed.

“The Arkansas Kraft paper mill, established in 1965 by my father, Jim Kress, has built a proud legacy as an industry leader,” GBP Chair and CEO Will Kress says.

“This initiative will enhance our operational capabilities and solidify our competitive edge for the future.”

The investment in Arkansas comes after several GBP expansion plans announced throughout 2024.

In early June, the company acquired Springfield, Missouri-based packaging company SMC Packaging Group then, a month later, revealed plans to expand its manufacturing space at its Great Lakes Packaging Division facility in Germantown, Wisconsin. While that facility does not convert recovered paper into new paperboard, it engages in downstream functions for GBP corrugated materials, including those made at its recycled-content mill in Green Bay, Wisconsin—a $500 million project that opened in early 2021. The mill consumes old corrugated containers, mixed paper and other recovered paper grades.

Finally, in August, GBP acquired land in Casa Grande, Arizona, to build a corrugated box plant.

“To uphold our commitment to innovation and excellence, we recognize the importance of investing in future technology,” Vice President of Mill Operations Matt Szymanski says of the Arkansas project. “These investments only happen because of our hard-working and loyal workforce and a supportive community in Morrilton, Arkansas.”