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Boxes of Angel Soft bath tissue roll off the conveyor belt at GP’s mill in Palatka.
Shelves holding paper towels, napkins and toilet paper are empty in grocery stores or have signs advising shoppers to only purchase one or two packages of bathroom tissue.
As the demand for these products nationwide increases, so does production at the Georgia-Pacific mill in Palatka.
“With the activity and concern around coronavirus, we have certainly seen increased demand for bath tissue and other paper products,” said Mark Brown, public affairs manager at GP in Palatka.
GP makes Angel Soft, Quilted Northern, Sparkle, Dixie and Brawny products along with building materials and chemicals.
Brown said the Palatka operation has almost 1,000 workers and the mill is taking precautions to protect those workers against virus contraction.
“As we maintain our operations, our top priority is always the safety and well-being of our team members, their families and our Putnam County community,” Brown said.
“Since this situation began, our company and our local site have taken multiple steps, using guidance from the (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), state and local health officials, to help protect our team and sites throughout the country.”
Steps to ensure proper hygiene in the workplace include hand-washing stations, encouraging social distancing between team members and screening employees.
“We are proud of our Palatka team … for their constant dedication to meeting the needs of our customers and all those who depend on our products,” Brown said. “We also want to thank all of our state and local health professionals, as well as first responders and others who are working to respond to coronavirus.”