Port Bienville, MS, August 25--A $50 million expansion project at Wellman Inc. will add up to 30 full-time positions at the plant, company officials said Tuesday, according to the Sun Herald.
The plant, which has 180 employees including contractors, produces 550 million pounds of polyethylene terephthalate. When the expansion is completed it will be producing 850 million pounds.
The PET resin expansion project will also generate 150 to 200 construction jobs during the peak of construction in 2005, officials said.
Company officials said the industry is experiencing a strong increase in demand and a decline in imports, justifying the additional 300 million pounds of product.
The expansion was approved by the board of directors earlier this month.
The project involves converting the polyester fiber polymerization line shut down in December 2000 to a PET resin line. Construction for the project - a contractor has not yet been selected - will start late this year and start up is expected to be in January 2006.
This added capacity will bring Wellman's total U.S. PET resin capacity to about 1.6 billion pounds, making it one of the largest PET resin producers in the United States.
"This relatively low-cost expansion will allow us to take advantage of the expected growth in the PET resin market and maintain our low cost position in the industry," said Tom Duff, Wellman's chairman and chief executive officer.
Wellman Inc. manufactures and markets polyester products, including PermaClear and EcoClear brand polyethylene terephthalate packaging resins and Fortrel brand polyester fibers.
The world's largest PET plastic recycler, Wellman utilizes a significant amount of recycled raw materials in its manufacturing operations.
The 25 to 30 new positions will be full-time, primarily hourly production and maintenance jobs. Wellman will start filling these positions in the second half of 2005.
