The leading international reusable packaging company, ORBIS Corporation, is expanding and announced that it will expand its plant located in Urbanaa Ohio. The new plant, which will be 30% larger, will manufacture bags, bulk containers and pallets. This will add more presses and tooling to increase capacity and shorten lead times. Together with its favorable geographic location for freight optimization, the Urbana plant expansion will help ORBIS better serve its customers.
Bill Ash, president of ORBIS Corporation noted that “this is a very exciting expansion for ORBIS, as it will not only provide more manufacturing flexibility to improve throughput and reduce lead times for our customers, but will also bring new learning and technology opportunities to our current and future associates at the Urbana plant,” adding that “for decades, we have been part of the Urbana business community and look forward to this new chapter, with enhanced capabilities and state-of-the-art equipment.”
ORBIS, part of the Oconomowoc, Wisconsin-based Menasha Corporation, has 13 operating plants in the United States, Canada and Mexico. It employs more than 300 direct workers at Urbana’s current plant and expects to expand its workforce by hiring an additional 40-50 employees over the next three years. This addition will increase the total number of employees of the multinational, which currently employs around 3,150 people throughout North America and Europe.
“This expansion would not be possible without the support of our employees, the Teamsters union and the Urbana community,” said Todd Mathes, executive vice president of manufacturing for ORBIS. “We look forward to enhancing our Urbana operations, including building upgrades and training programs for our employees, as well as new and expanding technologies for the ORBIS business,” he added.
According to the company, the expansion will increase the company’s total molding capacity by 10% and is scheduled for completion in the second quarter of 2023. The reusable packaging products produced at the plant are used in many industries, including automotive, food, beverages and consumer packaged goods.
“The City of Urbana and the Champaign Economic Partnership welcome this expansion of ORBIS Corporation and its commitment to bring more jobs to our community,” said Rich Ebert, director of the Champaign Economic Partnership. “This expansion project by ORBIS Corporation coincides with many years of persistence by the City of Urbana; the Champaign Economic Partnership; and numerous local, regional and state partners to redevelop the former Q3 JMC Inc. site. These redevelopment efforts have been underway since 2010 and concluded earlier this summer with the remaining parcels of that site sold by the City to ORBIS Corporation in support of this planned expansion.”
“As a community, we are excited that ORBIS Corporation has chosen the Urbana plant as the site for this expansion project, and we appreciate the company’s partnership in bringing the former Q3 JMC Inc. site back to economic viability,” said Doug Crabill, Community Development Manager for the City of Urbana.
The project also incorporates numerous environmental benefits, including water neutrality, increased energy efficiency and superior processability for recycled materials.
Ebert and Crabill added, “This expansion project will support ORBIS’ continued growth for decades in Urbana. In addition, ORBIS’ continued emphasis on providing reusable packaging solutions for today’s sustainable supply chains is admirable, and we look forward to continuing to see them thrive as a leader in our area.”
