ST. FRANCISVILLE - The state announced Thursday that Hood Container of Louisiana LLC will invest more than $50 million into its paper mill in West Feliciana Parish.

According to a joint announcement with Governor John Bel Edwards, the upgrades will improve efficiency and expand capacity at the facility. It will also help maintain the mill's 306 employees and the $23 million annual payroll, the company said.

Hood Container acquired the 61-year-old former Crown Zellerbach and Tembec mill in 2015, after it emerged from federal bankruptcy protection filed by an interim owner. Since then, Hood has invested more than $100 million in capital investments to upgrade the facilities.

“Since acquiring this legacy paper mill in West Feliciana Parish, Hood Container has consistently upgraded the quality of its equipment and the efficiency of its manufacturing process,” Gov. Edwards said. “Those investments are also an important investment in people, with Hood Container now reaching the highest employment at the plant since it was closed by an international company more than a decade ago. This represents another important win for our economy in rural Louisiana.”

The project will increase the efficiency of Hood Container’s pulp-refining operation through the installation of two digester blow-line refiners. The expansion also will include installation of a secondary headbox and additional dryer cans, which will allow increased paper production with better paper quality.