Pactiv Corp. to add 20,000 square feet to Beech Island Location

July 9, 2005 - Packaging company Pactiv Corp. plans to build a 20,000-square-foot addition at its Beech Island plastics plant that will boost production and create about 30 new jobs.

The manufacturing facility, which makes Hefty brand tableware and polystyrene packaging for the food service industry, expects the expansion to be completed during the first quarter of 2006.

"We are looking to bring these people on now so we will have them trained and ready to go when (the expansion) is completed," Pactiv spokeswoman Lisa Foss said.

Ms. Foss said the expansion is in response to increased customer demand for the products.

The company declined to disclose its investment in the expansion, but building permits on file with Aiken County value the construction alone at $506,000.

The nearly 300,000-square-foot facility on Old Jackson Highway currently employs 225 and has been expanded several times during the past 30 years.

The plant was built in 1974 by Amoco Plastic Products Co., which was acquired by Tenneco Inc. in 1996. Tenneco spun its packaging operations into a separate company called Pactiv in 1999.

(source: The Augusta Chronicle)