Sofidel Group, an Italian manufacturer of tissue paper, recently broke ground on a $360 million capital investment in Inola, Okla. The project will include the construction of a new facility and the creation of 300 jobs.
“Sofidel will build here a new, modern integrated plant to serve the south-central and central-western areas of this great country, where we have been operating since 2012,” said Luigi Lazzareschi, CEO of Sofidel Group. “I am glad to announce this new greenfield investment – the second one, after the first made in Ohio. This new investment will support our growth in the U.S. significantly.”
Sofidel’s facilities, expected to be operational by 2020, will have production capacity of 120,000 tons of tissue paper each year. The 1.8-million-square-feet plant is almost 40 percent larger than the Macy’s Fulfillment Center in north Tulsa County.
“We have been growing year after year at a very fast pace,” said Lazzareschi. “I would like to thank all the partners that have supported us in making this new project. They have played an integral role in helping us achieve this goal.”
“We are excited that Sofidel has continued confidence to make this tremendous investment in Oklahoma,” Gov. Mary Fallin said. “This global company has seen the advantages Oklahoma provides in its current operation, and now will double down with a state-of-the-art production facility in Inola. This is another example that our economic pro-business policies are diversifying Oklahoma’s economy.”
“We are proud to partner with our state, local and business leaders to attract new growth opportunities to the great state of Oklahoma through a highly collaborative economic development strategy,” said Pierce Norton, president and CEO of ONE Gas. “We all benefit from our state’s abundant natural gas supplies being in close proximity to where the resource is consumed, which allows our company to deliver reliable, affordable energy to businesses like Sofidel, who also recognizes that energy costs are critical to their company’s competitive advantage.”
