Plant Manager Joseph Schott and Kevin Johnson, Director of Global Operations at PAC Worldwide (respectively), at the ribbon-cutting event in Lower Nazareth Township.

A manufacturer of flexible packaging has celebrated the opening of a new manufacturing facility in the Lehigh Valley, marking an expansion that will grow the company’s operations throughout the state and create more than 160 jobs over the next three years.

PAC Worldwide, a Seattle-based manufacturer and service provider of packaging solutions, recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a more than 420,000 square-foot facility in Lower Nazareth Township.

“PAC Worldwide is thrilled to be locating our newest manufacturing site in the greater Bethlehem area,” said PAC Chief Operating Officer Bruce Johnson.

“We have specifically chosen this location because of the rich manufacturing history in the area, the strength of the local workforce, and the logistical advantages to our customers,” Johnson said. “Our collaboration with the Governor’s Action Team for this project and the support of the Lower Nazareth Township have been extraordinary and we are grateful.”

The facility is located at 4779 Hanoverville Road in Lower Nazareth Township.

The project includes leasehold improvements for the 4779 Hanoverville Road facility, as well as equipment acquisition and training for its employees. PAC Worldwide plans to invest more than $28 million into the project.

The Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation (LVEDC) worked closely with the company, helping them find a site for the project and placing them in touch with state of Pennsylvania for financing assistance.

“This is another example of how you can attract manufacturers based on supply chain,” said LVEDC President & CEO Don Cunningham. “We’ve seen a lot of growth from fulfillment centers that require packaging, and that in turn has led to interest from packaging manufacturers.”

LVEDC had been working with PAC Worldwide since June 2017 on finding a possible Lehigh Valley facility. The organization provided the company information on the regional labor market, available sites, and incentives, and helped connect them with brokers and developers to find a location.

LVEDC also first put them in touch with the Governor’s Action Team (GAT), which coordinated the project. GAT is an experienced group of economic development professionals who report directly to the Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf and work with businesses that are considering locating or expanding in the state.

“Manufacturing is intricately tied to the history of the Lehigh Valley,” said GAT Director Brent Vernon. “PAC Worldwide’s expansion is more evidence that the manufacturing sector continues to thrive in this region and across Pennsylvania. Governor Wolf will continue to support job-creating, sector-building manufacturing projects like this one.”

The project received a funding proposal from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development that includes a $489,000 Pennsylvania First grant, $326,000 in Job Creation Tax Credits to be distributed upon creation of the new jobs, and $73,350 in WEDnetPA funding for employee training.

For more than 40 years, PAC has developed, manufactured, and automated premium packaging solutions to meet the changing needs of its customers worldwide. It is headquartered in Seattle, with other offices in Cincinnati and Phoenix, as well as Mexico and Malaysia.

The company manufactures protective mailers and specialty packaging for the courier, e-commerce, fulfillment, and distribution markets, and offers a full portfolio of branded and stock packaging with bubble lined and flat solutions.