SOUTH HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Tony Schleich, President and General Manager of American Packaging, says Wednesday’s announcement about an expansion of the South Hutchinson facility was long overdue.
The company announced that it will expand the current 60,000-square-foot building to the north by another 100,000 square feet. The estimated $10 million expansion will allow for new equipment and additional employees. Schleich says they have simply run out of room.
“We are completely out of space, from both the manufacturing point and our warehouse,” Schleich said. “That coupled with an opportunity to plug in a new high-speed piece of equipment, it facilitated the need to expand.”
Schleich says plans ran into an unexpected snag with a small parcel of land on the west side of their property, but the city of South Hutchinson accommodated them.
“There’s an easement between our building and the rails-to-trails property that the city owned,” Schleich said. “The city of South Hutch said, 'It’s yours,' and that granted us the access we absolutely needed in order to get back to that north side.”
Schleich says he is working with local and state officials to get some financial relief for the project with the help of the Chamber of Commerce and the state.
“The Reno County Chamber has been phenomenal to work with, the Department of Commerce . . . has been outstanding to work with,” Schleich said.
The expansion will result in more jobs for the company, which currently employs 43 people. Schleich says he hopes to add 10 jobs into the company by the end of next year.
“On the short end, we’re going to go five year one and probably an additional five towards the end of year one,” Schleich said. “As we continue to add business . . . we will need the additional employees to accommodate the additional business.”
Work is expected to begin in the coming week or two with completion set for July or August of 2021.