International Paper eyes new sustainable packaging site in Salt Lake City

This week, International Paper announced a “strategic exploration” of a new sustainable packaging facility in Salt Lake City as part of its plans to expand its manufacturing capabilities in the United States.

The Memphis, Tennessee-based global packaging company says it is eyeing Utah to increase its footprint in the region and better serve customers by meeting the growing demand for sustainable packaging.

The announcement comes about a month after IP officially broke ground on a corrugated box plant in Waterloo, Iowa—the company’s largest greenfield box plant and what it calls its “most ambitious project to date.”

"This exploration is part of Packaging Solutions North America's strategic growth initiative to enhance our regional manufacturing footprint in the U.S.,” John Berry, group Vice President and General Manager, Packaging Group West, says in a news release. “Salt Lake City would be a new market for IP and an opportunity to better serve existing customers in the region and grow strategically with new customers.”

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If pursued, the company says the facility would feature “cutting-edge” technology and equipment to help enable IP’s ability to deliver innovative and sustainable packaging solutions to a growing customer base in the western U.S.

Financial details have not been released, and IP says specific information, including capital investment, facility footprint and potential employment opportunities will be shared “at the appropriate time” as part of the ongoing evaluation process.