The facility will be expanded by 73,000ft² to accommodate new film extrusion and packaging manufacturing lines, as well as add more than 800ft of extra rail track
Scholle IPN invests $31.1m to expand facility in Smyth County. (Credit: Adam Evertsson from Pixabay)
Scholle IPN, a US-based flexible packaging solutions provider, has announced an investment of $31.1m to expand its facility in Smyth County, Virginia.
The facility will be expanded by 73,000ft² to accommodate new film extrusion and packaging manufacturing lines, as well as add more than 800ft of extra rail track to handle the inflow of raw ingredient resin.
The project, which will create 75 new jobs, was secured for the state with the help of the collaboration of the Virginia Economic Development Partnership with Smyth County, the Mount Rogers Regional Partnership, and the Town of Chilhowie.
To help Smyth County with the project, Governor of Virginia Glenn Youngkin approved a $600,000 grant from the Commonwealth’s Opportunity Fund.
The flexible packaging firm is also eligible for incentives under the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation’s Rail Industrial Access Program, pending approval by the Commonwealth Transportation Board.
Scholle IPN, based in Northlake, Illinois, provides sustainable packaging solutions for the food, beverage, and non-food sectors.
The product portfolio of the company includes barrier films, ergonomic fitments, and filling machinery for bag-in-box and spouted pouches.
The firm now manufactures flexible packaging solutions in 16 facilities on five continents and provides sales support in two additional nations.
Scholle IPN president and CEO Ross Bushnell said: “Southwest Virginia has truly become an advanced manufacturing corridor and we are proud to continue to invest in the region.
“By committing over $30 million in the expansion of our Chilhowie, Virginia, facility, we not only better serve the needs of our customers across North America, but we also ensure that Chilhowie and the State of Virginia remain at the forefront of our sustainable packaging capabilities.”
In February this year, SIG Combibloc Group agreed to acquire Scholle IPN for an enterprise value of €1.36bn and an equity value of €1.05bn.