Governor Youngkin has announced yet another company is investing its company in expanding in the commonwealth.
Scholle IPN, a leading global supplier of total flexible packaging solutions, announced that it will be investing $31.1 million to expand its operation in Smyth County, in southwest Virginia. The company will expand the facility by 73,000 square feet to accommodate new manufacturing lines for film extrusion and packaging and add over 800 feet in new rail track to support the inflow of resin, an integral raw material for production. Virginia successfully competed with Illinois and Georgia for the project, which will create 75 new jobs.
Youngkin celebrated the announcement, as it is yet another company investing in creating jobs and opportunities for Virginians.
“Cataylzing economic growth in Southwest Virginia is a priority for my Administration, and we are thrilled that Scholle IPN will reinvest in its Smyth County operation and create 75 high-quality manufacturing jobs,” said Governor Youngkin. “This valued employer continues to demonstrate a commitment to creating new jobs and opportunities for residents in this region, and this significant expansion will further solidify Scholle’s longevity in the Commonwealth.”
Headquartered in Northlake, Illinois, Scholle IPN is one of the world’s largest and most innovative packaging manufacturers, providing sustainable packaging solutions for the food, beverage, and non-food sectors. The company specializes in packaging solutions such as barrier films, ergonomic fitments, and state-of-the-art filling equipment for bag-in-box and spouted pouches. The company has grown significantly over the last 70 years, manufacturing flexible packaging in 16 locations across five continents, with sales support in two additional countries.
Ross Bushnell, Scholle IPN President and CEO, stated in his announcement the that Virginia has become a massive part of global manufacturing, and celebrated the opportunities that Virginia provides:
“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, we also ensure that Chilhowie and the State of Virginia remain at the forefront of our sustainable packaging capabilities.”
The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with Smyth County, the Mount Rogers Regional Partnership, and the Town of Chilhowie to secure the project for Virginia. Governor Youngkin approved a $600,000 grant from the Commonwealth’s Opportunity Fund to assist Smyth County with the project. Scholle IPN is eligible to receive state benefits from the Virginia Enterprise Zone Program, administered by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development. The company is also eligible to receive benefits from the Rail Industrial Access Program through the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation, subject to approval by the Commonwealth Transportation Board.
Support for Scholle IPN‘s job creation will be provided through the Virginia Talent Accelerator Program, a workforce initiative created by VEDP in collaboration with the Virginia Community College System and other higher education partners, with funding support from the Governor’s administration and the Virginia General Assembly. Launched in 2019, the program accelerates new facility start-ups through the direct delivery of recruitment and training services that are fully customized to a company’s unique products, processes, equipment, standards, and culture. All program services are provided at no cost to qualified new and expanding companies as an incentive for job creation
This is another business that Youngkin has brought into Virginia to create jobs and boost Virginia’s economy. Earlier last month, Birdsong Peanuts announced a $25 million investment to automate its production line in Suffolk, as well as Mühlbauer Inc., the U.S. subsidiary of Germany-based Mühlbauer Group and the world’s top producer of automated machinery designed to implement intelligent solutions, investing $9 million to expand its operation in the City of Newport News.