Cardbox Packaging, Inc., an international manufacturer of paper and carton-based packaging products, has chosen Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services to construct the company’s first U.S. headquarters and manufacturing facility.
Mericle is wrapping up construction of the footers and foundations for the 27,500 square foot industrial building at 395 Enterprise Way in CenterPoint Commerce & Trade Park West in Pittston Township, PA. Steel will arrive on site by June 1.
Based in Vienna, Austria, Cardbox produces high-quality and sophisticated packaging and specializes in offset printing, flatbed die-cutting, and folding gluing to convert raw materials into products for the food, cosmetic, and medical industries.
A press release issued by Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf on May 16 said the company has committed to investing at least $5.3 million into the project, and is expected to create 35 full-time jobs over the next three years.
“More companies continue to select Pennsylvania as the best place to do business in the U.S.,” Wolf said in the press release. “Their decisions are evidence of the work that we’ve been doing during the last six years. We welcome Cardbox to Pennsylvania and we look forward to their growth in the years ahead.”
“Cardbox Packaging is very excited about landing in Pennsylvania and taking the first steps in establishing our presence in the U.S. packaging market,” said Michael Schaid, General Manager at Cardbox Packaging, Inc. “We look forward to expanding our U.S. relationships which will result in Cardbox being able to produce innovative products.”
Cardbox received a funding proposal from the Department of Community and Economic Development for a $75,000 Pennsylvania First grant, $70,000 in Job Creation Tax Credits to be distributed upon the creation of new jobs, and a $15,300 workforce development grant to help the company train its workers. The funding proposal was assembled by the Governor’s Action Team, an experienced group of economic development professionals who report directly to the governor and work with businesses that are considering locating or expanding in Pennsylvania, with additional coordination provided through DCED’s Office of International Business Development.
Mericle Vice President Bill Jones coordinated the project. He thanked Robert Watts, Regional Director of the Governor’s Action Team and David Briel, Executive Director of the state’s Office of International Business Development, for assembling the incentive financing package for Cardbox.
Jones noted that Cardbox is the second Austrian manufacturer to locate in a Mericle building in CenterPoint West, joining Greiner Packaging USA. “It has been pleasure working with the entire Cardbox team in formulating this location solution,” he said. “We look forward to seeing the exciting and innovative products they bring to the US packaging marketplace.”
Michelle Mikitish, executive director of the Greater Pittston Chamber of Commerce, congratulated Cardbox on its decision to move to CenterPoint. “We are very happy to see another international company choose Greater Pittston,” she said. “We look forward to Cardbox creating quality manufacturing jobs for our community.”
The Cardbox building is one of seven Mericle is constructing in CenterPoint in 2019. The others are speculative industrial buildings ranging from 40,000 square feet to 310,000 square feet.
Mericle developed CenterPoint starting in 2005. Today, the park is home to 51 tenants who together employ more than 5,500 people.