Local firm makes important donation to health department

MERCER COUNTY, Ky. (WTVQ) – A local business contributes to a local need.

Essity, a leading global hygiene and health company that employs more than 350 people in its Harrodsburg paper converting plant, formerly Wausau Paper, donated approximately $2,500 worth of supplies and personal protective equipment Thursday to the Mercer County Health Department to be passed on to local schools as they reopen.

Items donated included 3,000 masks, 20 one-gallon bottles of hand sanitizer, and 20 face shields.

“It feels great that our business is able to help and support our local community with these items to provide protection against Covid-19.  We are all in this fight together and the Mercer County Health Department has been extremely supportive as we set up our Covid-19 mitigation plans,” said Pete Petersen, the plant’s safety manager.

Essity is an employee safety leader in Mercer County. As one of the largest employers in the region, Essity makes the Tork® brand of paper products in Harrodsburg — including bath tissue, kitchen roll towels and folded and rolled hand towels – for distribution and use nationwide in commercial facilities such as hospitals, offices, restaurants, hotels, airports, sports arenas, etc.

John Wells, site manager of Essity’s Harrodsburg manufacturing plant, notes that, “As this pandemic persists, and our community continues to work hard to stay safe as the school year begins, we are happy to share our protective equipment and supplies with the health department, whom we know will put it to its best use in the county.”