96 



percent of the region's payroll is involved, directly or indirectly, with KPC operations. 

 The bulk of the service and support industry depends on KPC's continued viability. 



In 1995, the average full-time KPC employee earned approximately $45,000 in 

 wages, not including benefits. In that year, KPC paid wages totaling over $40,000,000, 

 again, not including benefits. Benefits include full health coverage and retirement. We 

 have enjoyed a very stable work force, with the average duration of an individual's 

 employment being close to ten years. We hire over 90 percent of our employees locally, 

 £ind the KPC work force reflects southeast Alaska's population diversity. Approximately 

 one-third of our employees are Alaska Natives. 



KPC puts more than $5,000,000 monthly into the Ketchikan-Metlakatla-Prince 

 of Wales economy. Our operations Eire the cornerstone of southeast Alaska's timber 

 industry in general, providing an assured outlet for residual chips and pulp-grade logs 

 from independent sawmill and logging operations, when those companies themselves 

 have sufficient timber to operate. 



KPC's manufacturing operations are as essenticd, if not more so, to southeast 

 Alaska's economy today as they were in the 1950s. Again, we have fulfilled our end 

 of the bairgzun we made with the Forest Service to provide year-round employment and 

 bring prosperity to the Ketchikan area. KPC is the foundation of our local economy. 

 If KPC collapses, southern southeast Alaska collapses along with us. 



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