Greiner Packaging International, one of the leading companies in the European packaging industry, will open a manufacturing plant at 225 Enterprise Way in CenterPoint Commerce & Trade Park West, Pittston Township. The company expects to create more than 100 full-time jobs at the facility within three years.
The company has leased 113,871 square feet in a 223,387 square foot industrial building constructed by Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services on speculation in 2013. Mericle developed the building as part of its ReadyToGo Program™.
Mericle’s construction crews are busy getting the front half of the building ready for the company. Greiner Packaging International will begin installing its manufacturing systems in the building in April and anticipates an October grand opening.
The company will use the building to manufacture primarily high-quality premium packaging including plastic-cardboard combinations named K3® and high-quality printed cups.
Willi Eibner, CEO of Greiner Packaging International, said a number of factors contributed to the company’s decision to open a facility in Luzerne County.
“We received great support from the Governor’s Action Team and Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services,” he said. “Mericle had a suitable building available in Pittston Township at the right time. Our needs were swiftly attended to in a customer-oriented manner.”
Eibner also said the area’s highly regarded workforce played an important role. “There are already many skilled workers in the surrounding areas,” he said. “We offer future employees of Greiner Packaging International excellent work conditions, long term future prospects and established in-house training, which contributes to personal growth.”
Food companies that manufacture dairy products are among Greiner Packaging International’s customers.
“The demand for dairy products is registering high single-digit percentage growth rates in the United States,” Eibner said. “American consumer behavior is shifting toward nutritional awareness and healthy and sustainable products are very much in fashion. Aside from the increasing demand for high quality foods, there is a growing need for sustainable packaging in the premium segment. Greiner Packaging International offers excellent solutions for this sector.”
“About 40%of the U.S. population lives in the country’s northeast,” added Eibner. “This region is of great interest to the packaging industry because many milk processing establishments are located here.”
Mericle Vice President Dan Walsh coordinated the real estate transaction. Greiner Packaging International was represented by Brandon Podolski, JD and Adam Burgess of the Southfield, Michigan office of real estate consulting firm Plante Moran CRESA and by Matt Marshall of the real estate brokerage firm CRESA Philadelphia.
Walsh said the fact that Mericle had a building in place that met Greiner Packaging International’s requirements gave the area a chance to compete for the project.
“Our building in CenterPoint West is less than one mile from I-81 and I-476 and has the expansion capabilities Greiner Packaging International required,” said Walsh. “Our design and construction teams are doing a great job customizing the building to the company’s exact needs.”
“We created our ReadyToGo Program™ to make sure we have fully prepared sites and new buildings in place to accommodate manufacturing, distribution, office, and medical firms,” Walsh added. “Having the right properties in place when companies like Greiner Packaging International call, greatly increases this area’s chances of winning projects that create good jobs.”
Eibner said that aside from making it feasible for Greiner Packaging International to rapidly start production, Mericle’s building also offers geographic advantages. “It is within easy transport distance to the New York metropolitan area and offers excellent logistic advantages,” he said. “These include, for instance, nearby highways and easy flight connections to Europe, which ensure accessibility to the international corporate network of Greiner Packaging International.”
Walsh said Greiner Packaging International was introduced to the area by the Office of International Business Development of the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED). He said incentives offered by DCED and Luzerne County’s Office of Community Development and site selection assistance provided by the Greater Pittston Chamber of Commerce and Penn’s Northeast helped bring the company to Northeastern Pennsylvania.
“Greiner Packaging International has spent fifty years building a premier reputation in Europe as a top quality packaging solutions manufacturer,” said Attorney Joseph Burke, president of the Greater Pittston Chamber of Commerce. “What a tremendous compliment to the Greater Pittston community that Greiner Packaging International has chosen us as a key locale for its U.S. manufacturing and distribution. The combination of our region’s strategic location, our gifted work force and the extraordinary facilities at CenterPoint West have once again put Greater Pittston and northeastern Pennsylvania at the competitive forefront. In welcoming Greiner Packaging International, the Chamber is proud to have played some role in championing our community, our business resources and our spirit of entrepreneurship.”
Greiner Packaging International employs more than 3,200 people worldwide at 34 locations. Visit www.greiner-gpi.com for more information.
Individuals interested in exploring employment opportunities with Greiner Packaging International should contact Jennifer Zapko at the PA CareerLink® Luzerne County at Wilkes-Barre at 570.822.1101 ext. 250 or visit the office at 32 East Union Street, Wilkes-Barre.
Since 2006, Mericle has developed 21 buildings and 30 ReadyToGo Sites™ in CenterPoint Commerce & Trade Park East and West. Greiner Packaging International becomes CenterPoint’s 36th tenant and when fully staffed, will push the park’s total employment to more than 4,200.
Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services, founded by Rob Mericle, is a vertically-integrated company with more than 200 in-house professionals with expertise in all aspects of commercial real estate development and construction. The Mericle team includes licensed architects, land planners, professional engineers, surveyors, licensed electricians, plumbers, carpenters, certified public accountants, in-house legal counsel, leasing and marketing professionals, licensed brokers, property managers, and more.