International Paper plans to build a state-of-the-art corrugated packing plant in West Sadsbury Township that will bring about 150 new jobs into the area.
“I was glad to help in bringing this plant to western Chester County and I am pleased that it will expand manufacturing in our area and create good-paying jobs,” said Rep. Tim Hennessey (R-Chester/Montgomery), who announced the new plant recently.
In a letter to Hennessey, Peter Heist, area vice president of International Paper, thanked Hennessey for his support of International Paper. “We are excited to expand our U.S. footprint and continue serving our customers with the highest level of safety, quality, operational excellence and customer service,” he said. “The facility will allow International Paper to expand its industrial packaging footprint in southeast Pennsylvania and the northeast United States.”
“This “plant will be the first box plant International Paper will have built in the United States in more than 30 years,” said Hennessey. “It is great to see this expansion in manufacturing in our area and I am hopeful more will follow.”
To further aid in helping International Paper to locate here, the Wolf administration approved a $371,000 rail freight grant to construct approximately 500 feet of new railroad track to the plant and rehabilitate 1,200 feet of existing track near the site.
According to company officials, construction of the new plant is set to begin in the first quarter of 2022 and is expected to be fully operational in the first quarter of 2023.
Darren DeVoe, chairman of the West Sadsbury supervisors, said International Paper received a demolition permit this week for the interior of the building, which used to house Cubicore Printing but has been empty for a while.
“We’re definitely pleased to have it,” said DeVoe. “They’re going to open up the rail spur and bring things in and out by rail.” While there will also be some truck traffic, new in and out driveways are planned off Route 372. And since trucks can’t traverse Main Street through Parkesburg, they will have to come in over Route 41 west of the plant, he said.
DeVoe is happy that new jobs will be brought into the area.
“People need to work,” he said.
International Paper is a leading global producer of renewable fiber-based packaging and pulp products. It has manufacturing operations in North America, Latin America, North Africa and Europe.
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