With a $180m investment, Graphic Packaging has consolidated two plants and three offsite warehouses into one of the most productive and largest folding carton operations in the world.
The 1.2m sq ft factory, located in Monroe, Louisiana, is highly automated and uses the latest automation and advanced material handling technologies including AGVs and roll handling systems. The automation has allowed the company to improve safety and reduce their carbon footprint.
“Automation is important for us from a safety standpoint, because it eliminates the need for the repetitive motion type jobs in the facility. One of the biggest parts of our culture is having a strong focus on safety here,” says Joe Yost, Executive Vice President.
The company reports that they will convert more than 1.4bn beverage cartons annually. The paperboard is made at the West Monroe mill, located seven miles from the factory. Between the plant and warehouse consolidation and the proximity to the mill, they’ve eliminated millions of miles of freight and CO2 emissions every year.
“With our mill in Monroe and and now with this low cost converting facility that we’ve built, this gives us an amazing supply chain to take care of our global beverage customers at scale, really end to end,” says Mike Doss, President and CEO. “You can buy the equipment and lay your factory out in the proper way. but at the end of the day, its really all about the people and that’s what this team here has done an amazing job with.”
