New factory gets approval
By Frank Jost, Sentinel reporter,
fjost@lewistownsentinel.com
LEWISTOWN — Preliminary plans for a paper manufacturing company to build a new facility that would create hundreds of jobs in Mifflin County received conditional approval Monday night from the Granville Township Board of Supervisors.
The board approved the plans submitted on behalf of
First Quality Enterprises Inc., pending review by the Granville Township Planning Commission, the Mifflin County Conservation District and other governing entities.
Chad Stafford, a consulting engineer with Penn Terra Engineering in State College, presented the plans before the board Monday night.
“This development will bring 1,000 jobs to the area over a six-year period. First Quality has a very aggressive development schedule,” Stafford said.
A New York-based paper products manufacturer with facilities already located in Pennsylvania, news of First Quality’s interest in Mifflin County was announced in September 2006.
At that time, company officials accepted $1.5 million in state funding to develop the infrastructure needed to support a new manufacturing facility in what is known as Mifflin County Industrial Park East — a 316-acre tract of land located between the Juniata River and the intersection of Loop and Locust roads in Granville Township.
First Quality is a diversified family of companies manufacturing adult incontinence products, feminine hygiene products, non-woven roll goods, baby wipes, adult washcloths and consumer paper products, serving institutional and retail markets throughout the world.
“First Quality will purchase the land from the Mifflin County Industrial Development Company and construct a sewage pumping station and other necessary infrastructure to support its planned facilities,” Stafford said.
“We have submitted the plans for stormwater management and earth-moving activities to Dan Taptich (township engineer) and Mary Pursel (township zoning officer) for their review,” he continued.
Stafford said phase one of First Quality’s plan is to construct a 985,000 square foot diaper-manufacturing facility and have it operational by March 2008. Phase two of the plan calls for a second diaper-manufacturing facility to be operational by 2010, he continued.
“Phases one and two combined are expected to create at least 800 jobs for the area,” Stafford said.
Phase three of the plan, projected for completion by 2014, calls for an expansion of the two facilities to accommodate the company’s future manufacturing needs, leading to the creation of additional jobs, he explained.
“It could expand into a tissue plant, or another diaper-making facility ... it remains to be seen,” Stafford said
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lewistown for relocation?
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