Company opening third manufacturing plant in Southwest Ohio

Coming Sunday

Read about our interview with Huhtamaki executive Clay Dunn in the coming Sunday business section, as he discusses the impact of the company’s regional growth on its Franklin plant. Huhtamaki acquired the Warren County plant in 2011, formerly known as Ample Industries. It is one of Franklin’s largest employers

The company that bought Franklin’s Ample Industries celebrated Tuesday plans for further expansion to open a third manufacturing plant in the region.

Huhtamaki, an international food packaging and consumer goods company, known for Chinet brand disposable tableware, plans to open by year end a manufacturing and distribution facility in Batavia Twp. Initially, Huhtamaki will make paper drink cups at the plant and could add more production lines in future phases, said Clay Dunn, executive vice president of North America. The site will also be a new hub of the company’s consolidated distribution network.

“The work that will be done here is a key component in our growth strategy that is making Huhtamaki a central player in the food service industry,” Dunn said. “Huhtamaki has been growing rapidly in North America over the past 18 months. During this time we’ve acquired three companies and added seven manufacturing facilities in the U.S. including Ample Industries.”

Huhtamaki closed Jan. 31 on the purchase of more than 900,000-square-feet in the building, off Batavia Road, that used to be a Ford transmission plant. The total investment, including renovation work, is estimated to cost more than $60 million. Within three years of opening, the company has committed to creating more than 200 jobs.

The Batavia paper cup plant is Huhtamaki’s 17th North America manufacturing facility. There are three Ohio locations including Franklin and a New Vienna plastics plant that makes the line of Chinet Cut Crystal products.

State government officials on hand including Ohio Gov. John Kasich and JobsOhio President John Minor said the Huhtamaki deal was about a year in the making.

The property sale was complicated because it involved dividing the former Ford plant, said Stu Lichter, president of property owner IRG. IRG also owns the former General Motors plant in Dayton and the former Ohio Casualty building in Hamilton.