Suzano selects Avondale Global Gateway as Gulf Coast hub, bringing regular wood pulp imports back to Louisiana for first time in more than 30 years

Written By Alicia Vial

Five-year agreement establishes Avondale Global Gateway as a key Gulf Coast terminal for Suzano’s growing North American operations

AVONDALE, La. — Avondale Global Gateway (AGG) and Suzano today announced a five-year terminal services agreement that will bring regular wood pulp imports back to Louisiana for the first time in more than 30 years.

Under the agreement, AGG will serve as one of Suzano’s terminals in the Central Gulf Coast for their wood pulp shipments arriving from Brazil, to be distributed across North America by rail. The first vessel is scheduled to arrive at AGG in the first week of May this year.

The agreement marks a significant milestone for both Louisiana and Suzano, the world’s largest pulp supplier and one of Brazil’s biggest exporters which has been present in the American market for over 40 years. Suzano’s decision also aligns with its continued expansion in the region, including its 2024 acquisition of mills in Arkansas and North Carolina from Pactiv Evergreen. As part of its North American growth strategy, Suzano selected Avondale following a two-year evaluation process focused on logistics efficiency, infrastructure, and long-term scalability. The Avondale operation will support this strategy by creating a more centralized and efficient logistics footprint in the Gulf Coast.

“An efficient and resilient supply chain is essential to our business, and Avondale offers the combination of river access, rail connectivity, port infrastructure, and operational flexibility we were looking for,” said Juliana Vizintim, Operations Executive Manager at Suzano. “This partnership strengthens our Gulf Coast logistics platform and enhances supply assurance and efficiency for our customers across North America. At Suzano, we believe it is only good for us if it is good for the world, and we view this milestone as a foundation for long-term value creation—benefiting the local community, our business partners, and our customers. Suzano and Avondale share a common vision focused on collaboration, growth, and building a sustainable future together.”

To support the new operation, AGG has completed major upgrades to 245,000 square feet of warehouse space, including new concrete flooring, five additional loading doors, loading platforms, overhead awnings, and a laser fire detection and suppression system. These improvements were made specifically to meet Suzano’s operational requirements.

In parallel, a $13 million rail expansion is underway at Avondale, funded in part through Louisiana Economic Development’s FastSites program. Together with other site improvements, total investment tied to the Suzano operation is expected to exceed $20 million over time. The project is also expected to support 50 full-time jobs.

“Bringing wood pulp back to Louisiana is a major milestone,” said Adam Anderson, Chairman and CEO of T. Parker Host, parent company of Avondale Global Gateway. “This is new activity for the state, new jobs, and meaningful investment at Avondale. It reflects the kind of long-term industrial growth we believed this site could support and shows what’s possible when the right partner, infrastructure, and location come together.”

Rail service will play a central role in the operation, allowing cargo to move efficiently from vessel to warehouse to inland destinations across the United States. AGG worked closely with Union Pacific to align infrastructure and service capacity ahead of launch.

Since T. Parker Host acquired the former Avondale Shipyard in 2018, the 275-acre site has been steadily redeveloped into a multimodal logistics hub. Today, Avondale supports more than 600 workers across site operations, tenants, and active construction.

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About Avondale Global Gateway:
Avondale Global Gateway is a multimodal logistics and terminal facility located on the Mississippi River in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana. Operated by T. Parker Host, the site offers deepwater dock access, large-scale warehousing, and Class I rail connectivity, supporting bulk and breakbulk cargo flows across North America. Learn more at www.avondaleglobalgateway.com.

About Suzano:
Suzano is the world’s largest pulp supplier, a major paper and packaging producer in the Americas, and one of Brazil’s largest employers. Driven by a deep commitment to sustainability and innovation, Suzano produces responsibly grown raw materials that are exported to more than 100 countries, meeting global demand for bio-based solutions. These materials are used in everyday products that reach more than two billion people, including tissue, packaging, printing and writing paper, personal hygiene products, and textiles. Founded in Brazil more than 100 years ago, Suzano operates across Latin America, North America, Europe, and Asia. The company’s shares are listed on B3 in São Paulo (SUZB3) and the New York Stock Exchange (SUZ). Learn more at suzano.com.br/en.

Alicia Vial

Alicia Vial is a New Orleans native with more than a decade of experience elevating client stories and leading crisis response. As the senior director of strategy, Alicia acts as a leader within the Gambel Communications team ensuring each agency team member is positioned to deliver strategic public relations services that meet the highest standards of the industry. In addition to supporting the agency’s long-term business growth and development, she coordinates day-to-day account services and oversees strategic direction while staying abreast of best practices and industry trends to provide innovative solutions to meet client’s needs.

Before joining Gambel Communications, Alicia served as the communications director for the Louisiana SPCA, the oldest and largest animal welfare organization in Louisiana that impacts more than 74,000 animals per year. During her nearly eight-year tenure, Alicia oversaw numerous crises, served on national communication taskforces, oversaw all aspects of internal and external relations and worked alongside the development department to raise critical funding. Prior to that, she worked in the fast-paced New Orleans hospitality industry focusing on digital public relations for multiple hotels.

Alicia is a member of the Public Relations Association of Louisiana (PRAL), Southern Public Relations Federation (SPRF), a board member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) New Orleans Chapter and a member of the New Orleans Regional Leadership Institute. An accredited public relations practitioner (APR), Alicia is also certified in crisis communications, organizational leadership, content marketing and social media.

A well respected and trusted public relations practitioner, Alicia has been recognized by SPRF as a ‘Senior Practitioner of the Year’. Dubbed early on in her career as one to watch, she also received the ‘Rising Star’ award by PRAL and was profiled in St. Charles Avenue Magazine as part of their Young Bloods series. Most recently, she was recognized at PRSA’s annual Fleurish Awards and received four Awards of Excellence for her work along with the ‘Plate Spinner’ award for her efforts on the board of directors for the chapter.

An LSU graduate, Alicia received a bachelor's degree in mass communications with a concentration in public relations and minors in business administration and leadership development. She is a frequent speaker and presenter on public relations topics, most recently presenting at the Jefferson Economic Development Commission and SPRF annual conference.

When Alicia is not at work, you can find her at the ballpark with her three boys or cheering on the Tigers in Death Valley.

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