Bag and film maker Reliance Packaging LLC will invest more than $7 million to expand in Aberdeen, N.C., a move that will add 32 jobs and expand the use of recycled content.
Reliance, which began operations in Aberdeen in 2014, makes heavy duty plastic bags and films for the lawn and garden market as well as other outdoor applications, the North Carolina Department of Commerce said in making the expansion announcement Aug. 14.
Described as a joint venture with Sigma Plastics Group, Reliance extrudes, prints and converts bags and films to hold mulch, soil and decorative lawn rocks. Those products are sold around the country at places such as Home Depot, Lowe's and Walmart, the governor's office said.
The expansion includes installation of two additional multi-layer film extruders as well as improvements for the location's 180,000-square-foot building.
"The new investment will enable the use of post-consumer recycled [content] as a major effort to support sustainability within our industry. Reliance Packaging already reprocesses between 10,000 to 20,000 pounds of waste plastic every day and the installation of this new technology and automation will facilitate higher quality products with an eco-friendly solution," said Satish Sharma, chief operating officer at Reliance, in a statement.
New jobs will include extruder operators, material handlers and quality control technicians. Salaries will vary and will average $53,000 yearly. That's just above the $51,824 average for Moore County, where the facility is located.
The project is receiving a $50,000 grant from the One North Carolina Fund, which provides money to attract economic investment and create jobs. The grant requires a match from local governments, the governor's office said.
Reliance is described as a member of the Sigma Plastics Group of companies on Sigma's website. The manufacturing site, the website said, already has five blown extrusion lines, flexographic presses and bag machines. The location makes surface printed roll stock as well as reverse printed laminated roll stock and bags.
Products include food-grade bags and films, freezer capable ice bags, bailer bags, bags on wickets, furniture bags on rolls, box and drum liners and printed industrial shrink film, the website indicates.
Reliance has grown over the past decade since relocating from Florida in late 2014. Sigma had, in 2013, purchased the former Southern Film Extruders site in Aberdeen after that company filed for bankruptcy court protection. This allowed Reliance to relocate.
Sigma is ranked as the fourth-largest film and sheet maker in North America by Plastics News. Sales were $2.6 billion in 2022.