Global Packaging Company Buys I-85 Exit 27 Building; to Bring 200 Jobs
Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer
A global paper-based packaging company has purchased a 259,000 square-foot building in Anderson County at Exit 27 on I-85.
Smurfit Kappa has committed to bring 200 new jobs and a $68 million investment as part of the new facility. The Irish firm currently operates at 350 sites in 36 countries, with 46,000 employees worldwide, and specializes in cardboard packaging manufacturing, producing 11 billion square meters of such products a year. The company is also active in the paper-making and recycling sectors.
“This is another great addition to Anderson County as we work to diversify our economy,” said Anderson County Administrator Rusty Burns.”
The company expects to acquire a new 259,000-square-foot facility located at 1105 Scotts Bridge Road in Anderson, off S.C. 81 North near I-85. Burn said the building, an industrial spec building, is another example of the benefits if private investment is benefiting the county.
“Anderson County primed the pump for industrial spec properties and the private sector took over,” said Burns. “The last county purchased land for such a purpose was purchased shortly afterward by Arthrex, which now operates from that location in Sandy Springs.”
The building is part of Hunt Midwest’s Evergreen 85 Logistics Park, which supports more than 1.7 million square feet of additional industrial space.
Burns said in a meeting with Hunt Midwest this morning, the group indicated they expected to expand their partnership with the county.
“They have plans for future expansion in Anderson County and indicated they are very pleased with this market,” said Burns.
Hunt Midwest is part of the Lamar Hunt Family’s holdings, which include interests in real estate, sports/entertainment, energy/natural resources, and private equity. The company’s holdings include the Kansas City Chiefs, Chicago Bulls, FC Dallas, Hunt Southwest, and Trinity Hunt.
Exit 27 is slated for an upgraded ramp as part of improvements by the South Carolina Department of Transportation. The expansion, which includes a longer turn lane from I-86 onto S.C. 81, is to improve safety and traffic flow. An additional Orange Way Extension connecting S.C. 81 to Martin Road also allows for potential development along the new road.
Merger Approved
In a landmark decision Monday, the European Commission has given the green light to the proposed merger between the Irish Smurfit Kappa Group and Westrock Company based in the United States. The move paves the way for the creation of a global packaging firm, dubbed Smurfit Westrock, with a comprehensive reach across continents.