SOUTH GLENS FALLS — SCA Tissue North America will invest $15 million in a new building and machinery and another $5 million in upgrades outside the South Glens Falls paper mill in the next year, company officials announced this morning.

Mike Mound, regional director for Northeast operations for SCA, said the company has quietly invested $70 million in operations over the past five years in South Glens Falls, Greenwich and Saratoga Springs.

The company employs 460 people locally, with nearly 300 of those in the South Glens Falls paper mill. Company officials said the improvements to the mill will retain jobs. They said they are not expecting to increase the work force.

SCA manufactures tissue paper by recycling 110,000 tons of office paper generated within a 250-mile radius of the South Glens Falls mill, Mound said.

"We manufacture products for what is called 'away from home' use," he said. "That is, our customers are restaurants, schools and sports venues."

The hand towels and bath tissue products are sold to restaurants and other venues, including McDonald's, Stewart's Shops and Giants Stadium, he said.

SCA South Glens Falls Operations Manager Terry Miller said the investments in the South Glens Falls mill will include construction of a 50,000-square-foot addition to house a new paper rewinder, as well as employee locker rooms, a cafeteria and a large training room.

"We have 265,000-square feet of space now, and adding the 50,000 square feet will help the materials flow inside the mill and out to trucks for distribution," he said.

Improvements in parking will include a paved employee lot closer to the mill and additional space for trucks to move and park.