Located in the heart of the Southeastern pulp and paper market, Olin Augusta began its relationship with the community more than 40 years ago on 500 acres of land just south of Augusta Regional Airport. Olin’s Augusta plant is a great example of how innovative companies can balance the needs of their customers with the community and the natural environment.

Over 75 full-time people come to work at Olin Augusta every day. Olin spends some $35 million annually with local businesses, purchasing goods and services that support more than 200 local jobs. Olin also pays a half million dollars in annual taxes that go to schools, to community services and development, and to those in need.

As a corporate neighbor, it’s important that we add value to life in Augusta. Adding value means giving of ourselves to charitable worthwhile efforts in the community, whether it’s creating them or contributing to them. A number of our people actively participate in various educational events throughout the year. All of these efforts contribute to the continued success of our teachers and students. Besides our involvement in education, Olin has been busy working with a number of major charitable organizations in Augusta, such as Children’s Miracle Network, United Way, National Audubon Society, and the Southeast Natural Sciences Academy’s Phinizy Swamp Nature Park, an 1,100-acre nature preserve on the outskirts of Augusta. We also encourage our people to volunteer their time and efforts to other worthwhile and caring organizations.

It’s the second-largest metropolitan area in Georgia with a population of 200,000 and an average annual temperature of 64.3 degrees. The Medical College of Georgia, the newly developed riverfront, the U.S. Army Signal Corps at Ft. Gordon and a wide variety of manufacturers and service organizations contribute to the area’s growing economy.

While most of the nation knows Augusta as the “Home of the Masters,” it’s also home to the 1,600-seat Jessye Norman Riverfront Amphitheatre, the Augusta Opera, Ballet and Symphony; and the Morris Museum of Art. There’s also more than 1,230 miles of shoreline to enjoy on the Clarks Hill Reservoir— second-largest lake east of the Mississippi.

One of our main goals at the Olin Augusta plant is a safe working and living environment for our people, their families and our neighbors. Olin takes precautions to ensure that no employee or community resident is ever put at risk. Recent improvements include the addition of a new industrial filter that significantly reduces waste volume. We also spent $12.8 million between 2005 and 2006 to produce further protection to the local environment, including a 90 percent reduction to air emissions.

We’ve received a number of environmental and safety awards for our performance, like the American Chemistry Council Certificate of Achievement three years running, recognizing our achievement in the prevention of occupational injuries and illness, and the Chlorine Institute Environmental Achievement Award for zero accidents and environmental incidents.