Berry Global launches expansion at its Benson plant

Submitted by JOHNSTON COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

BENSON — Berry Global, the Fortune 500 global maker and marketer of non-woven fabrics and plastic packaging products, will invest more than $70 million to expand its Benson manufacturing plant. The company will add approximately 60 jobs to its existing 217-person Johnston County workforce.

County Commissioners joined the town of Benson’s Board of Commissioners in a joint meeting recently to approve performance-based incentives as part of Berry Global’s national search for a location to house its expansion.

“Congratulations to this longtime corporate resident on the success that has led to this major expansion,” said Chad Stewart, chairman of the Johnston County Board of Commissioners. “Berry Global has been in the trenches in the fight against COVID-19, providing highquality personal protective equipment, and we’re proud they’ve selected Johnston County for this exciting expansion.”

Headquartered in Evansville, Ind., Berry Global Group, Inc. maintains 295 facilities across the globe and employs a worldwide workforce of more than 47,000. The company, founded in 1967, creates innovative products for consumer and commercial markets by leveraging unparalleled global reach, the latest sustainability principles and a rich legacy of innovation.

Berry Global’s Benson expansion is being driven by growth in its wipes business. The company’s products are used by the world’s leading wipe brands for infection prevention.

From 2014 to 2019, demand for disinfectant wipes grew at 6% per year before surging during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Happi, an industry media company specializing in the global personal care, household and industrial and institutional cleaning markets. The industry anticipates demand remaining high after the pandemic subsides.

“The investment by Berry in this state of the art, high speed proprietary technology at our Benson facility allows us to support both the ongoing demand and future innovation of cleaning and hygiene solutions to meet the global needs of our customers,” said Mark Siebert, executive vice president and general manager for healthcare and specialties at the company. “We are extremely appreciative of the Johnston County Board of Commissioners and local Benson officials for their joint support of this initiative.”

Berry Global’s Benson site on Chicopee Road dates from the late 1960s. It previously operated under the names PGI, AVINTIV and Berry Plastics. In addition to its Johnston County presence, Berry Global also has facilities in Ahoskie, Charlotte, Matthews, Mooresville, Rocky Mount and Statesville, collectively employing more than 1,200 North Carolina workers.

Once operational, the company’s Benson expansion is expected to add nearly $21.5 million in annual output to Johnston County’s economy, according to an analysis by Michael Walden, William Neal Reynolds Distinguished Professor Emeritus at North Carolina State University. The facility will add $71,116 and $160,872 in annual tax revenues for the Town of Benson and Johnston County, respectively.

“Berry Global has been an indispensable partner to the town of Benson for many years, and the benefits of its presence here cannot be measured in dollar terms alone,” said Benson Mayor Jerry Medlin. “They are part of Benson’s social and community fabric, in addition to the obvious economic role they play. We are proud and we are grateful to be the site of this great company’s next phase of growth.”