Consolidated Container Corp. is about to expand blow molding operations at its second plant in Sherman, Texas.
Sherman Economic Development Corp. (SEDCO) on Feb. 11 approved a four-year grant of about $124,000 to the company, based on Consolidated's proposal to add about 20 jobs at a plant that produces agricultural-grade rigid plastic containers.
Consolidated acquired the 128,000-square-foot plant in February 2007, when it bought Whitmire Container Corp. Consolidated also operates a food-grade plastic container plant in Sherman that it has owned for several years.
``They were seriously considering closing the [newer] plant and leaving the area, so we're able to retain 70 jobs that existed under the Whitmire operation and [Consolidated] promised an additional 20 jobs over a period of time,'' SEDCO Vice President Frank Gradek said in a Feb. 15 telephone interview.
R. Keith Brower, Consolidated senior vice president of strategic initiatives, confirmed the company plans ``a fairly significant expansion'' of the former Whitmire plant's capabilities, but he declined to give details until after the SEDCO contract signing. He said the changes will enable the plant to make products year-round, without seasonal interruptions.
Atlanta-based Consolidated ranked fourth among North American blow molders in Plastics News' 2007 survey, with estimated 2006 sales of $900 million.