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 A Missouri manufacturer will be producing paper cups, bowls and bags in Southside Richmond by the end of March, if industrial equipment arrives on time.
Aspen Products Inc. chose to open its new manufacturing operation at the 146,000-square-foot plant at 1500 Jefferson Davis Highway over locations in New York, Pennsylvania and Delaware.
“Logistically, this is a great area for us,” said Shannon Walls, the future plant manager. “(The presence of) MeadWestvaco is a big plus, and there’s lots of paper in the area.” Richmond’s central location on the East Coast and the plant’s two rail spurs were also big draws, Walls said. “We can get ten (rail) cars at a time at the facility,” Walls said. “Then you throw in the efforts of everybody we’ve worked with so far – the Greater Richmond Partnership, the State, the City – everybody made it easy to do business here.” Aspen will likely take advantage of local and state enterprise zone tax credits, as well as funds made available by the state to offset costs associated with job training. The company has already hired several Richmond-area workers who will travel to Missouri for training. Within three years the facility will employ around 190 workers, according to a city press release. The 30-year-old company manufactures private-label paper bowls, plates, cups and lunch-style bags. “Most people don’t know the name, but I guarantee you’ve eaten off of one of our plates,” Walls said. Read more from the Times-Dispatch here.
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