Italian-multinational corporation Sofidel broke ground Thursday on a $775 million expansion to its factory at the Port of Inola.
According to a press release, the project will add 1 million square feet to the facility, which manufactures sanitary tissue papers for personal hygiene, commercial cleaning and medical use. Sofidel opened its factory in Inola in 2020.
The Tulsa Regional Chamber praised the groundbreaking and said the new wing of the factory will create 185 new jobs. The current factory employs around 550 people already, the Tulsa World reports.
In a statement, Oklahoma Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell lauded the expansion.
“Foreign direct investment enriches our state's bottom line and the lives of hard-working Oklahomans,” Pinnell said.
That praise comes as a stark contrast to other news out of Inola.
Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond, who is also a candidate for governor, recently sued to block a new aluminum smelter at the port due to its ownership being largely from the United Arab Emirates.
Sofidel’s new wing in Inola is scheduled to begin operations in 2028.
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Editing by Michael Marcotte
