In a remarkable turnaround story, Georgia-Pacific’s Monticello linerboard mill exceeded 1 million tons of production in 2024—an achievement shared by only a handful of facilities across North America.
The site also set a new daily production record in November and marked three of its ten best-ever monthly outputs, capping off a milestone year driven not by top-down mandates, but by the workers themselves.
Just a few years ago, Monticello was plagued by operational issues, flagging morale, and high employee turnover. Recognizing the need for a fundamental change, the facility turned to Principle Based Management™, a framework used throughout Georgia-Pacific to align individual and organizational success.
By applying a bottom-up approach, plant leaders began actively soliciting solutions from employees at every level. The response was immediate and powerful. Workers shared insights on process improvements, equipment needs, and workflow bottlenecks, often through informal tools like a mill-wide group chat. From these conversations, a shared vision emerged.
“The employees had the recipe for success,” said Tony Brown, vice president of the Monticello facility. “They just needed the opportunity and leadership that allowed them to apply their knowledge.”
Key elements of the transformation included aligning roles with individual strengths through comparative advantage and creating transparent communication networks to share knowledge and build trust. These cultural shifts not only enhanced decision-making and safety, but also significantly boosted morale.
Georgia-Pacific reinforced this transformation with a $110 million investment in 2023, which supported new asset maintenance processes and proactive environmental health and safety (EH&S) initiatives.
“Monticello has a long history of excellence,” said operations manager Tom Weidman. “This was about unlocking the full potential of a knowledgeable and capable workforce.”
Monticello’s turnaround is seen by Georgia-Pacific as an example of the benefits of employee involvement, improved communication, and long-term planning. The site continues to build on this foundation.
Georgia-Pacific, a subsidiary of Koch Industries, is a leading North American manufacturer of tissue, pulp, packaging, and building products. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, the company operates more than 150 facilities and employs tens of thousands of people across the U.S. and globally. Georgia-Pacific is known for brands such as Brawny®, Dixie®, and Quilted Northern®, and for its commitment to innovation, sustainability, and operational excellence.
