The paper industry in the Savannah area was in its heyday in the 20th century. The region's abundance of pine trees provided a foundation for the paper and pulp manufacturers that eventually made their way to the southeast.

However, it was the chemical innovations of scientist Charles H. Herty that jumpstarted a new era of paper making.

Herty's Savannah Pulp and Paper Laboratory -- later named the Herty Advanced Material Development Center -- attracted the attention of the Union Bag and Paper Company, which constructed the world's largest paper mill along the banks of the Savannah River in the 1930s.

Fifteen pulp and paper mills were built in the southern United States between 1935 and 1940, reviving the devastated economy, but also later contributing to pollution of the landscape. 

Since then, the paper industry in the U.S. has declined as a whole, with most of the industry migrating to China. However, several paper plants still exist in the region, including Savannah's original "paper mill" now owned by International Paper. 

The "paper mill" has been a mainstay in Savannah for over 85 years and was one of the major players in the pulp and paper industry's rise in the southeast. Since its inception in 1936, the paper mill has grown to become one of the largest industries in the area, partly due to its proximity to an abundance of southern pine trees.

Today, the Savannah paper mill is owned by International Paper, taking over the previous Union Camp in 1999, and produces about a million tons of heavy brown paper that is converted into cardboard boxes each year.

International Paper also owns a facility in Port Wentworth that is part of the company's global cellulose fiber business. They produce fluff pulp, which is used in toilet tissue, paper towels, diapers and feminine hygiene products. 

The mill's legacy continues to this day, with about 650 workers operating its Savannah facility, some of them second and third-generation paper mill workers. 

The Herty Advanced Material Development Center is a research and development facility located just east of Garden City. The applied research center works with leading national and international companies in testing and validating new processes and product development and does not itself produce product to sell. 

They work in key sectors such as pulp and paper, chemicals, non-woven materials, and the emerging biomass-to-energy industry, according to the center’s website. 

The center was established in 1938 in honor of Dr. Charles H. Herty’s contribution to pulping chemistry, a cornerstone of the paper industry's growth in the southeast. In 2012, the Herty Center came under the management of Georgia Southern University to enhance economic and business development in the state of Georgia. 

Celadon Development Corp. is the newest player in the paper and pulp industry in the Savannah area. Celadon established its North American headquarters in Savannah in 2019 and announced plans for another facility in Pooler last fall, making it the final tenant of the Chatham County Development Center, also known as the Pooler megasite, located at the Interstate 16 and 95 junction. 

Previously reported: Chatham County will turn trash into exports with recycling plant Celadon Development Corp.

Pooler megasite: Celadon will be the final tenant on the Pooler megasite, but who are they?

The manufacturer will recycle both wet and dry paper materials into brown pulp that can be used domestically and exported for international use. Once both phases of Celadon’s Pooler facilities are complete, the company expects to produce 900,000 tons of product, with a focus on exports. The predicted economic impact on the region is around $165 million annually.

According to CEO Tim Zosel, Celadon will employ about 117 directly, but create about 1,400 direct, indirect and induced jobs.

Established in 1986, the Savannah River Mill is located just north of Chatham County in Rincon of Effingham County. The manufacturer, owned by Georgia-Pacific, produces tissue, towel and napkin products from recycled fiber. Popular retail brands that the mill produces include Quilted Northern Ultra Plush® bath tissue, Sparkle® paper towel and Vanity Fair® napkins.

The facility site covers more than 2,000 acres and is home to five of the 12 largest tissue paper machines in the world. 

Savannah River Mill serves as Effingham County’s largest private employer with over 900 employees, about 40% of which are local residents. Their economic impact totals to about $100 million in the local area and contributes about $1.5 million in local annual payments to the local tax digest. 

The Riceboro Paper Mill operated by DS Smith was founded in 1966 and is one of the largest employers in Liberty County. The manufacturer produces about 400,000 tons of product each year, which gets converted into Kraft linerboard, a material typically used to make cardboard boxes. 

The company is known for its efforts in sustainability and was recognized for its energy efficient management system. According to the mill's website, it is one of the cleanest effluent paper mills in the United States. Riceboro committed to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. 

Nancy Guan is the general assignment reporter covering Chatham County municipalities. Reach her at nguan@gannett.com or on Twitter @nancyguann.