MORRILTON, Ark. (From news reports) -- Green Bay Packaging has announced a significant expansion of its production facility in Morrilton, Arkansas, marking a historic moment for Central Arkansas. The company is investing over $1 billion in the Arkansas Kraft paper mill, a move that officials say represents the largest capital investment project in the region's history.

"This stake is critical to keep the paper mill industry alive," said Matt Szymamski, Vice President of Mill Operations. "The scope and magnitude is very significant. We will have, at the height of this project, somewhere around 1,200 contractors working on site, and the project is starting now and will complete in the first quarter of 2028, so it's a long-run project that will have a significant impact to the area, and we're very excited about it."

Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders emphasized the importance of promoting Arkansas's advantages to attract further investments. "You've got to get louder. You have a great story, you have the workforce, you have a good business environment, low taxes, easy access to some of the biggest markets in the US, and our team are moving quickly to make sure we tell the Arkansas success story," she said.

The expansion is expected to create approximately 35 new jobs, adding to the more than 600 people Green Bay Packaging currently employs in Conway County. The company also noted that this investment could potentially double the production capacity of the Arkansas Kraft facility.