Graham Packaging breaks ground on Kentucky blowmolding facility

Graham Packaging (York, PA), a manufacturer and designer of blowmolded plastic containers used to package a variety of consumer projects, broke ground on a new facility in Bowling Green, KY.  The $31.5 million facility will be the company's fourth Kentucky location, with one plant in Lexington and two in Florence. Combined they employ a total of 230 people in the state.

The 245,000-square-foot plant will be located in the South Central Kentucky Industrial Park and will be outfitted with new molding equipment.  It will operate four lines with output exceeding 64 million liquid laundry containers of varying sizes each year.  The company expects to be operational by early next year and will generate employment for 68 people.

Graham Packaging was presented with the opportunity to open the facility by customer Sun Products (Wilton,CT), a leading manufacturer and marketer of fabric and dish care products and one of the city's largest employers of choice. The land for the development was provided by Sun Products and all the blowmolded plastic containers manufactured at Graham's new plant will be supplied solely to Sun Products. Sun Products has been part of the community for over 20 years, growing its business and presence in Bowling Green, and now employing close to 1,000 individuals.

"Today's announcement is a demonstration that Graham Packaging continues to build on its growth as a leading global manufacturer in its field," said Gov. Beshear. "We've worked hard with our community partners to make Kentucky attractive to businesses, and that work is paying off. I'm proud of new jobs and the investment here. This is a tremendous day for the Commonwealth, for Bowling Green, for Sun Products and for Graham."

"The Graham Packaging team is very excited about joining the Bowling Green community" said Graham Packaging Company CEO, Malcolm Bundey. "We are very impressed with the quality of the workforce and sincerely appreciate the support from the citizens of Kentucky, and especially right here in Warren County, to make it possible for us to locate and grow here. We are grateful to Sun Products for their long term partnership with us, and for creating this opportunity in Bowling Green. We look forward to supporting their production of quality laundry products, and participating in the Bowling Green community for many years to come."

"The success of this project is a tribute to working together, with the Commonwealth of Kentucky, the Bowling Green Chamber, our business partner Graham Packaging, and our Bowling Green associates, to deliver results that benefit the local economy and community, and that support our company's mission and vision for growth", added Jeff Ansell, CEO Sun Products.

In business for 45 years, Graham Packaging has more than 90 plants across the world and is a world-wide leader in the design and manufacture of customer, rigid plastic packaging, serving the world's finest brands across the food, beverage, household care, automotive and personal care markets.

Recently, the company was awarded DuPont Gold & Silver Awards, the 2013 DuPont Silver Anniversary Continuing Innovation Award, numerous AmeriStar & Worldstar Awards, Exceeding Customer Expectations - "Reaching Beyond Award", and the Silver New Packaging Visionary Award.