More manufacturing jobs are coming to central Delaware.
The Pennsylvania-based corrugated packaging producer U.S. Corrugated recently announced it is bringing the company’s planned $80 million plant to Dover.
The move is expected to bring 159 new jobs to the area. And it’s the fourth manufacturing project to come to Kent County this year.
The deal was secured with help from the Delaware Prosperity Partnership, the Kent Economic Partnership, the City of Dover and the Delmarva Railroad.
Kent Economic Partnership Executive Director Linda Parkowski says a 2018 economic analysis has driven her group’s strategy to attract manufacturers to the region.
“It really gave us our blueprint on what industries we should be targeting, and what would fit well with our communities, with our location, with our workforce,” said Parkowski. “So we have been targeting small to medium manufacturers, warehousing and logistics, in addition to healthcare and some other sectors.”
U.S. Corrugated is expected to break ground on the new 457,000 square foot facility in November. It will be a more than 37-acre site off POW-MIA Parkway.
Gov. John Carney praises the news at a time of economic uncertainty at last week’s state COVID-19 conference.
“So several hundred manufacturing jobs during a pandemic, obviously this couldn’t come at a better time and we’re delighted to report this,” said Carney.
U.S. Corrugated of Delaware has already been approved for a $600,000 grant from the Delaware Transportation Infrastructure Investment Fund, and it is seeking approval from the Council on Development Finance for more than $3 million in performance-based grants from the Delaware Strategic Fund.