Sofidel Begins Construction on Integrated Plant in Circleville
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Sofidel (Lucca, Italy) reported this past month the company has started construction for its new integrated plant in Circleville, Ohio, USA.
The plant entered its first building phase with a ceremony in mid-July that drew dozens of elected officials. They included, among others, Ohio Lt. Governor Mary Taylor, Congressman Steve Stivers, State Senator Bob Peterson, and State Representative Gary Scherer.
"Today, we celebrate the commencement of construction of the first Sofidel integrated paper mill to be built from the ground up in the United States," said Sofidel CEO Luigi Lazzareschi. "It’s going to be a very big project for us."
"This is a very good location for us. Two hundred and eighty acres of relatively flat land," Lazzareschi added. "A good rail system connected to water and gas, a good airport, good logistically, lots of customer distribution centers, and a potential workforce of hard-working people."
"For our 50th anniversary, we summarize our attention to The Future in a sentence: Sofidel, 50 years of growth into the future. If Ohio is the State where the future is happening, then evidently, we share the same interest – the future," Lazzareschi said in ending his speech.
"The collaboration and determination of local and state officials and community stakeholders made it possible for Sofidel to break ground today for a facility that not only attests to the strong economic potential of Pickaway County, but brings hundreds of job opportunities for Ohioans," said State Senator Bob Peterson. "Groundbreaking was an opportunity to welcome Sofidel to Pickaway County and thank their CEO for making an important investment in our community and in our workforce."
The Circleville plant is expected to become operational by 2018.
Sofidel's release noted that U.S. President Barack Obama himself recently mentioned the company in reference to its investment in Ohio. He declared at SelectUSA summit in Washington D.C.: "...at last year’s summit an Italian tissue company started a conversation with folks from central Ohio and next month they are breaking ground in the town of Circleville on a manufacturing facility that will create hundreds of jobs in a part of the American Midwest that needs them. It will be the largest private sector investment in Circleville in decades and it started right here at SelectUSA".
