A global industrial and consumer packaging producer and packaging service provider, Sonoco has started to reconstruct its molded wood plug facility in Hartselle, Alabama. The facility, located at Hartselle-Morgan County Industrial Park, is expected to commence production by summer of 2011.
James Harrell, VP of North America Converting, stated that molded wood plugs are extensively used in the paper industry for cores and tubes. Sonoco is making an investment of $4.6 million to reconstruct the new manufacturing unit. This unit will be located near Sonoco’s Hartselle plywood reels and nailed wood plant. The location provides an ideal on-site source for wood chips and will support teams focused on producing wood products. Harrell added that the company is currently developing eight molded wood plug presses and the production area has been designed to accommodate 12 presses.
The new facility consists of fire protection and modern controls, including fire suppression redundancies, hydraulic power units on the building exterior and fire wall separation that isolates the manufacturing unit from the warehouse.