Atlanta, Georgia, USA 19 September 2012 -- While the housing market continues its slow recovery, Georgia-Pacific is looking ahead and creating more than 100 new manufacturing jobs in the Palmetto State.

GP will begin hiring immediately to fill management, craft and production jobs as it moves toward ramping up of production of an oriented strand board (OSB) mill in Clarendon County, S.C., in early 2013. Ultimately, the plant will employ approximately 120 people.

Mark Luetters, president of GP wood products, says the timing is right, “given our customers’ increased need for OSB.” The Clarendon plant, constructed in 2011 but not fully operating since, is a world-class facility that will help the company grow with its building products customers as housing slowly recovers.

The Clarendon operation’s sister mill in Allendale County, S.C., also employs about 120 people and started production in 2010. The Clarendon and Allendale facilities became part of GP in a 2010 acquisition. GP spent $30 million to complete construction on the Clarendon facility after purchasing it.

OSB is a versatile building product, used in construction of roofs, walls and floors in new homes as well as in other commercial and specialty applications.

In South Carolina, Georgia-Pacific and other Koch Industries companies employ nearly 2,000 people directly and support more than 8,000 jobs overall. Total compensation and benefits in South Carolina is approximately $140 million annually.