A global leader in the manufacture of energy drinks, non-energy drinks, and packaged drinking water has leased a 403,000 square foot industrial building from Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services at 575 Research Drive in CenterPoint Commerce & Trade Park East in Pittston Township.
Eastroc Beverage Group Co Ltd will begin operations in the building that was vacated when beverage manufacturer Joriki filed for bankruptcy leaving more than 200 people unemployed. Under the name Pittston Co-Packers, Eastroc will utilize much of the same equipment to manufacture and package juices and other beverages and expects to have a workforce equal in size to Joriki’s.
Eastroc was founded in 1994 and is headquartered in Shenzhen, China.
The company will make a multi-million investment in building renovations and the purchase and installation of equipment.
Mericle President Rob Mericle congratulated Eastroc and Pittston Co-Packers and said the creation of new jobs and multi-million-dollar investment in the building are especially good news after Joriki’s unexpected closing.
“We are hopeful that some of the local residents displaced by Joriki will be able to find employment with Pittston Co-Packers,” said Mericle.
Mericle thanked Governor Josh Shapiro, Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary Rick Siger, Pennsylvania’s Senior Managing Director of International Trade and Investment David Briel, and Director of Business PA’s Northeast Regional Office Bruce Reddock for providing a package of financial incentives that was instrumental to the project.
Greater Pittston Chamber of Commerce President Michelle Mikitish welcomed Pittston Co-Packers to CenterPoint and said she is encouraged by the influx of new manufacturers to the area. “New and growing manufacturers in CenterPoint such as Pittston Co-Packers, American Flooring, Quiet Flex, US Hydrations, and Olympia Chimney are creating the value-added jobs our local economy needs,” she said.
The building at 575 Research Drive was constructed on speculation by Mericle as part of the company’s ReadyToGo! Program. Mericle had cleared, graded, and compacted the site in advance so that it was ready for the immediate construction of building foundations when the market signaled the time was right for speculative construction.
CenterPoint is located along I-81 in Pittston Township and Jenkins Township and was built in phases by Mericle starting in 2005. The park is home to more than 70 businesses, which together employ approximately 7,500 people.