G-P Monticello (MS) Continues To Innovate, Set Records
In 2024, Georgia-Pacific’s linerboard mill Monticello, Mis- sissippi reported that it became one of the few facilities in North America to produce more than 1 million tons of product. The mill also set a new daily production record in November 2024 and recorded three of its top 10 all-time monthly production rates that same year.Last year, Monti- cello produced more than a million tons of linerboard, set- ting production records four times. Today, Monticello epitomizes success. But it wasn’t very long ago that Monticello struggled with operations, production and employee morale and retention. Employ- ees decided to explore and address the problems using tools they were familiar with – Principle Based Manage-
ment™. Principle Based Management, used throughout Georgia-Pacific to accomplish the company’s goals and objectives, is a framework that enables individuals and organizations to succeed long-term. It helps employees
create value for the company through their contributions and fulfill their own person- al goals. By applying the principle of bot- tom-up versus top down, leaders sought solutions from Monticello employees at all levels and ideas poured in. This is the rea- son for its success today. “The employees felt tired and defeat- ed. They complained about inadequate procedures and equipment that hindered productivity. Communication was lacking,” said Gerry Swain, currently vice president at Georgia-Pacific’s Brunswick Cellulose facility in Georgia, and a former Monticello employee. “There wasn’t a clear focus on short- or long-term planning. Employees didn’t feel they were aligned on goals for the facilities, and silos were common, with little collaboration. Lots of work was done with little progress because we weren’t achieving production goals.” Monticello developed a shared vision, one where everyone contributed the best of their skills, knowledge and ideas. Build- ing communication among teams helped identify and close gaps that helped with performance and built capabilities to main- tain the momentum. Mill employees creat- ed a group chat where people could freely discuss ideas and what could work to im- prove work and morale. The information taken from the chat helped craft a plan for success. “The employees had the recipe for suc- cess, so to speak,” said Tony Brown, vice president, Monticello. “They knew the ma- chines, the procedures to improve produc- tivity, years of experience and their own specific skill sets. We just needed to allow CONTINUED ON PAGE 8
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June 16, 2025
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