Richmond, Ind.-based Primex Plastics Corp. plans to open its fifth sheet extrusion facility Oct. 1, in Corsicana, Texas.
The firm said the plant will cover a geographic gap and allow it to serve customers in Mexico.
Company officials would not release the amount invested in the 55,000-square-foot building. The site was purchased from Chevron Corp.'s Plexco Division.
Remodeling and construction work is under way, preparing for the move in September. Primex will bring two existing lines from current plants and a rebuilt line to the Texas plant, Primex President Tony Lisauskas said in a July 25 telephone interview.
He said Primex purchased new lines to be brought into one or more plants, allowing for the transfer of current equipment.
The three lines at the Texas plant will produce polystyrene, ABS and polyethylene sheet.
``We believe this solidifies our ability to serve customers across the country,'' Lisauskas said. ``It covers the gap between the Georgia and Nevada plants.''
The new location will serve customers in Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas and Oklahoma, he said, as well as U.S. and Mexican-owned firms based in Mexico.
By the end of the year, Primex expects the plant to employ 30-35. Within two years, it expects to run six or seven lines and employ about 65. The new plant is expected to boost Primex's total output to 300 million pounds, not including its May merger with Pace Industries Inc. of Reedsburg, Wis. Although Pace belongs to the Primex family, it operates separately.
Primex serves the custom thermoforming, consumer and food packaging, automotive, automotive accessory and construction markets. With the new plant, the firm will operate about 75 extrusion lines. The existing plants are in Garfield, N.J.; Richmond, Ind.; Oakwood, Ga.; and Mesquite, Nev.
Primex placed 22nd in Plastics News' 1996 film and sheet ranking with sales of $214.1 million and placed third in sheet sales.
Primex is a subsidiary of ICC Industries Inc. of New York.