Berry to expand Lewisburg, Tennessee, film manufacturing facility

Evansville, Indiana-based packaging developer Berry Global Group Inc. has begun expanding one of its leading stretch film manufacturing facilities in Lewisburg, Tennessee. Berry says it expects the project to be complete by early 2024.

The 25,000-square-foot expansion is designed to support the growing demand for Berry’s highest performing sustainable stretch films by creating space for three new cast lines, upgrading the capacity of the facility’s existing postindustrial resin (PIR) reprocessing system and extending its rail spur for resin material handling.

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In coordination of the expansion, Berry says it will add 10 new jobs to the Lewisburg facility.

“The ability to access innovative, sustainable film solutions is critical for our customers as they work to drive progress toward a circular, net-zero economy,” says Phil Stolz, executive vice president and general manager of performance materials at Berry. “Expanding our Lewisburg facility will allow us to optimize the facility to help our films customers deliver against their ambitious sustainability goals.”

The company says that through its collaboration with its original equipment manufacturer (OEM), it will complete the installation of one cast line to support 20 million pounds of added capacity for ultra-high-performance films. Berry adds that by investing in the new cast line, it benefits from the advanced technology needed to increase capacity in its most sophisticated stretch films. Upon installation of the first new line, the company has plans to  add two additional cast lines to the facility.

According to Berry, plastic stretch films have long been a preferred solution for pallet load containment because of their strong, durable and lightweight nature. Among films Berry produces are its Transcend and Stratos machine films designed to reduce the use of virgin plastic through source reduction, while retaining excellent load containment to prevent breakage, damage and loss during transport and storage.