Gypsum is gold for area around Blue Rapids

Topeka Capital-Journal, The, Feb 27, 2008 by Sharon Stauffer

By Sharon Stauffer

THE CAPITAL-JOURNAL

A vast sea bed that disappeared more than 200 million years ago left Marshall County residents with one of the purest gypsum sources in the world.

And the Georgia Pacific plant that makes use of that resource provides more than 140 people with employment.

The plant on US-77 highway between Marysville and Blue Rapids was established in 1960. Mining and processing of the calcium sulfate has been ongoing since 1871.

The plant's human resource manager, Kevin Coggins, said the fact that the gypsum being mined there is 95 percent to 99 percent pure makes the production of gypsum board and industrial plastic products simpler.

"That's one of the things that makes us the largest producer of products," Coggins said. "That's where the wide customer base comes from."

The largest producer of industrial gypsum products for Georgia Pacific, the Blue Rapids facility ships products to all 50 states and around the world. Products include such things as exterior wallboard and casting molds for things like pottery, china wear, the dental industry and even in agricultural products to enrich the soil.

The plant employs people from within a 60-mile radius, including places like Manhattan and Seneca, running three shifts and various departments at least six days a week, Coggins said. The plant's processing of the rock speeds up when more people are building and needing the plant's main products - various degrees of wall-board for exterior and interior uses, he said.

"It drives our employment rate up quite a bit," he said. "There's times when we're really searching for people. We've had a lot of people stay in the area because of employment."

Coggins said he has noticed in large corporations upper management tend to shuffle from location to location. But at Blue Rapids, a majority of the upper management are from the local area.

"It's a testament to how good the jobs are," he said.

"Our customer base has so many differentiations it will never really go away," Coggins said.