GP Dixie

Summarize the project's program, features and achievements?

This project is a ±900,000 square foot advanced manufacturing and distribution facility designed for Georgia-Pacific’s Dixie® brand plate production. The facility integrates multiple functions, including a high-capacity manufacturing line for plate forming, an industrial Heidelberg printing press, a raw materials warehouse serviced by both internal rail dock and dock doors, and an extensive storage and distribution area. Two elevated mezzanines house mechanical systems and processing equipment, maximizing operational floor space while supporting the plant’s complex mechanical needs. The project also features a central office hub with an open-plan workplace, state-of-the-art conference rooms, a large break room with integrated acoustic treatments, a mother’s room, and a custom art installation to enrich the employee environment.

A standout achievement of the project is its implementation of Georgia-Pacific’s MOPED (Movement of People and Equipment Delineation) design philosophy, which prioritizes safety by minimizing interactions between pedestrians and vehicles. The layout incorporates a strategic “2-cross” intersection design to maintain separation and flow efficiency. The facility utilizes laser-guided vehicles (LGVs) for efficient material movement, streamlining logistics across the manufacturing and distribution zones. An acoustically engineered interior office pod, located within the manufacturing floor, ensures sound mitigation from high-decibel press operations, maintaining a functional and comfortable workspace. The distribution area also includes an integrated baler room connected to the LGV and floor roller/conveyor systems to support waste handling and recycling. Overall, the project reflects a thoughtful balance of safety, technology, functionality, and employee experience—delivering a modern industrial environment tailored for high-efficiency operations and long-term flexibility.

What obstacles were overcome related to the schedule, budget, program, specification, site, etc. on this project?

This project was delivered using a hybrid design-build approach with Integrated Project Delivery (IPD), incorporating weekly design sessions and monthly full-team meetings. This collaborative process, known as Target Value Delivery, helped evaluate design options in real time—balancing pros, cons, and associated costs. One major challenge was refining the initial space plan. Originally over one million square feet, we successfully reduced the footprint to a more efficient ±900,000 SF without compromising functionality. Site constraints included integrating CSX rail access into the building for the delivery of bulk paper rolls, requiring careful coordination with operations and structural systems.

We also navigated Georgia-Pacific’s stringent SQF food safety standards, which influenced material selection and construction detailing, such as rodent strips, filling tilt panel lift points, and hygienic finishes. The building also had to meet GP’s MOPED standards to minimize pedestrian-vehicle interactions, impacting circulation and egress planning. A key code-related obstacle involved managing egress in a square-shaped building of this size. We addressed this by introducing interior tilt-wall fire separations to divide the manufacturing, distribution, and raw goods areas, reducing travel distances to exits. Vertical circulation also required special coordination. The baler room, with a 50-foot clear height, extends above the main roof and required both internal roof drainage and a dedicated stair tower from the main roof for maintenance access. Careful analysis of clear heights across mezzanines, printing lines, and press equipment helped optimize vertical space and control costs. The project was phased across three stages to meet critical production startup timelines.

Please communicate any engineering complexities or unique features of the panel design for this project?

One of the primary engineering complexities of this project was the design and phasing of the interior tilt-wall separation panels. These walls were essential in meeting egress travel distance requirements and creating fire-rated separations between the manufacturing, distribution, and raw goods areas. Because Georgia-Pacific required phased access to specific areas for equipment installation and startup procedures, the panels had to be engineered and constructed in multiple stages—requiring precise coordination with the construction schedule.

Each panel was carefully designed to align with the sloped roof deck and meet fire-resistance requirements, adding another layer of complexity. In the baler room, panel height and Jackson, Tennessee’s seismic category required the incorporation of a reinforced stem wall to accommodate structural loads and lateral force resistance. A standout architectural and structural feature is the office entry, where tilt-up panels form a dramatic branded access wall that extends from the exterior into the interior lobby. Inside, the panels define occupiable office areas, showcasing how functional concrete panels can also serve as spatial and aesthetic elements. Another unique element was the rail dock wall, which required a stacked panel design over a stem wall to meet height requirements while maintaining durability and structural integrity.

Overall, the project pushed the limits of conventional tilt-up design—leveraging it not only as a structural system but also as a strategic solution for phasing, code compliance, seismic performance, and architectural expression.