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 Wednesday.

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 and are not expected to increase the work force.

A $500,000 state manufacturing assistance grant has been received by the company as part of the financing package for the improvements, said Mike Mound, SCA’s regional director for northeast operations.

SCA manufactures tissue paper by recycling 110,000 tons of office paper generated within a 250-mile radius of the South Glens Falls paper 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 restaurants, Stewarts Shops and Giants Stadium, he said.

SCA South Glens Falls Operations Manager Terry Miller said the new 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 parking lot closer to the mill and additional space for trucks to move and park.

Saratoga Economic Development Corp. President Dennis Brobston said his organization has been working with SCA officials for years in planning efforts to improve the company’s business.

“Our job is about retention of manufacturing jobs in our state,” Brobston said. “These guys do a great job with their work force and work very closely with the unions.”

Keith Baker, president of the USW local and a mill employee, said the project is an example of what has been a partnership between the company and its workers.

“Since acquiring this mill seven years ago, SCA Tissue has continued to invest in the workers and our community with stable, good-paying jobs at a time when manufacturing jobs are leaving the state,” he said.

“Last year alone, SCA invested 10,000 hours in training of its employees in the region.”

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

Mound said the mill was first put into operation in 1860 as a manufacturer of newsprint.

“Now we produce 80,000 tons of tissue a year on three paper machines,” he said.

SCA purchased the paper mill in 2001.

“I can’t guarantee we’ll be here another 150 years, but I can guarantee a strong future here in South Glens Falls,” he said.

Dale Long of Hadley is an SCA employee and was helping with visitor parking Wednesday morning during the project announcement. He said he’s worked at the mill for four years.

“Any time the company throws money into the plant, I feel more secure in my job,” he said.