PAUL TEAGUE

pteague@newstopic.net

Blue Ridge Tissue Corporation, a subsidiary of National Packaging Services Corporation, announced the purchase of the Patterson Tissue Mill assets from Omni Supply Inc. on Friday and plans to expand its current operations.

Located in the Patterson community, the mill produces specialty tissue that is used for protective packaging by large industrial and institutional companies. The present manufacturing unit employs 14 people, though NPS President and CEO Andrew Hetzel Jr. said the company plans to double the workforce by the beginning of next year.

"The acquisition of the Patterson Mill assets represents a key strategic move to ensure a bright future for our specialty tissue business as NPS will no longer need to purchase any of these tissue tons through parent roll suppliers, thereby ensuring an adequate supply and lower costs as we move forward," Hetzel said. "We are delighted to be able to maintain all of the existing jobs at the Patterson mill. And with the relocation of applicable NPS converting equipment supported by the mill, we anticipate adding another 15 employees to the mill by January 2010."

Headquartered in Green Bay, Wis., NPS was founded in 1996 after acquiring the assets of Kimberly-Clark Corporation's protective packaging business. Products currently are marketed under NPS' Versa-Pak brand name. The Patterson location will manufacture all of the tissue required for this business. NPS also markets a line of spill control products under its Spilfyter brand name and a line of tissue and towel products under its Response brand name. The company's products are sold to distributors throughout the world.

"It's definitely a big step for us," Hetzel said. "We're planning to invest significantly in the mill to increase its capabilities."

Blue Ridge Tissue General Manager David Hallock said the new operations will begin right away.

"We will begin the transition of our specialty tissue business to the Patterson Mill, effective immediately," Hallock said. "We would like to thank the Economic Development Commission of Caldwell County and the North Carolina Department of Commerce for helping out with tax credits and other support to make this venture viable for us in these uncertain economic times. NPS takes a lot of pride in being a good corporate citizen in all of its existing locations, and we look forward to a long relationship with the folks in Caldwell County."

Caldwell County EDC Excutive Director Harry Whalen said the announcement is welcome news.

"We're excited about this," Whalen said. "This represents the expansion of an existing operation and is part of our strategy to not only retain the jobs we have, but also to recruit new businesses and help grow our employment base."

Caldwell County Commission Chairman Ben Griffin complimented the work of the EDC.

"The successful negotiations between NPS and the Caldwell County EDC demonstrates the diligence with which our EDC staff will work professionally and cooperatively with potential businesses to encourage their consideration of Caldwell County," Griffin said. "We look forward to working further with NPS to ensure their experience in Caldwell County is a positive and productive one."

Hetzel, who visited the Patterson facility Friday, said he has been in the area three times in the past three months while the deal was being formalized.

"It actually kind of reminds us of a southern Green Bay," Hetzel said. "There are good, hard-working people here, and, God willing, hopefully we'll be able to grow this thing. NPS has been in business for about 13 years and has had a nice track record of being able to grow things, and that's what we try to do."