The second of seven phases of Epsilon Polyolefin Corp.'s $50 million shrink film production project is nearing completion.
The latest endeavor involved raising part of the ceiling from 25 feet to 70 feet to accommodate new extrusion equipment. In addition, the firm is adding 5,000 square feet for offices to the current 80,000-square-foot plant on 7 acres in South Plainfield, N.J. Epsilon has an on-site laboratory and has upgraded its rail siding. By 2000 or 2001, the company could add another 80,000 square feet to the facility.
``We have found that there is a need for a good, independent producer of this film to service independent distributors,'' Edward Weiss, executive vice president of Epsilon, said by telephone. ``We're committed to the growth of the business.''
The facility now can accommodate the custom-built, multilayer, biaxially oriented polyolefin shrink film extrusion equipment that soon will be in production.
Earlier, the firm installed new slitting and converting equipment. The plant houses research and development, extrusion, distribution and warehouse space. Company officials declined to provide information on the plant's extrusion lines.
Epsilon, the newest member of film manufacturer Sigma Plastics Group, claims to be the third-largest U.S. producer of high-performance specialty shrink films and No. 4 in North America. Its primary competitors are Intertape Polymer Group of St. Laurent, Quebec; DuPont Co. of Wilmington, Del.; and Cryovac, now part of Sealed Air Corp. in Saddle Brook, N.J.
Epsilon's Opti-95 and Opti-92, introduced in the fall, serve the food, electronics, publishing, display packaging, retail and toy markets.
The company expects to make additional film grades available this year.
As part of its expansion, Epsilon has added four employees to its sales department:
Ray Goelbert, who had worked in sales management at AlliedSignal's PVC shrink films, becomes the national sales manager.
Paul Lord, Epsilon's Midwest regional sales manager, had worked as national sales manager for American Tape shrink films.
John Liptak, previously with Industrial Packaging Supply, is regional sales manager for the mid-Atlantic region.
Chris Trammell, formerly territory manager for Tenneco, is Epsilon's new Southwest regional sales manager.
Sigma Group is based in Lyndhurst, N.J.
