Roofing Paper Mill Slated for Alabama

Maryland Paper Products is opening an additional facility in Tuscaloosa, Ala. The company, with one location in Williamsport, Md., has worked out a program with the Tuscaloosa County Industrial Development Authority to site a new facility in the county’s Airport Industrial Park.

The agreement between the two parties provides a host of incentives, including a 10-year tax abatement on the property, which will total close to $500,000; a tax breaks on purchase of equipment during the construction phase of the project, and the approval of the issuance of industrial revenue bonds, although bonds have yet to be issued.

Local press reports peg the total financial package at more than $800,000.

The new facility will be called Alabama Paper Products. The facility is expected to take up around 120,000 square feet. The county has available 50,000 square feet in a shell building.

According to the county, Maryland Paper Products could begin acquiring equipment for the facility by next month. Plans call for the facility to be completed and operational by the end of summer next year.

When operational the plant will employ around 65 people and product a capital investment of around $10.7 million a year.

The roofing felt company uses a variety of low grades of recovered fiber to make its finished product. The move to build an additional site in Alabama is being done to bring the end product closer to its end consumer.