WS Packaging Group has announced that it will close its Salem, OH, USA, manufacturing facility and move its production operations to its plant in Franklin, PA. According to a press release, the company will start construction of a 25,000 square foot expansion at the Franklin facility in the next three to four weeks to accommodate the move.

According to a notice from WS Packaging officials to the state of Ohio, 85 employees will be affected by the Salem plant’s closing.

The expansion of the Pennsylvania facility will initially create 30 to 35 jobs and company officials expect the addition to be up and running by the end of August. WS Packaging will invest approximately $2.4 million for facilities and equipment at the site. The state of Pennsylvania offered to put up $1.2 million in assistance.

The Franklin facility is an offset and flexographic printer of shrink sleeve, in-mold, roll-to-roll, and cut and stack labels. It is also one of the largest printing and converting operations of plastic and film substrates, as well as metalized and holographic papers.

Scott Fisher, chief operating officer for WS Packaging, says that there was not enough space at the Salem plant.“Unfortunately we ran out of room at the Salem site,” he says. “Salem had only 20,000 square feet of production space and we literally used every inch of it. Because of that, we’ve not been able to fully optimize our operation there. Moving the Salem equipment to the larger facility at Franklin will enable us to add equipment that will upgrade production.”

Currently in Franklin, there are 122 employees at the 54,000 square foot manufacturing space. In addition to the new 25,000 square foot production facility to be built, the site has room for an additional 50,000 square feet of space. Equipment from Salem will be moved in stages.

WS Packaging recently formed a joint venture with radio frequency identification products maker ASK and is considering Heath, OH, for a new plant that could bring 115 jobs.

WS Packaging Group is one of the largest printing and label converting operations in North America with 18 manufacturing facilities.