Plastics Plant Adding 30 Jobs

January 7, 2018

Staff Reports - Enterprise Jornal

A $3.3 million investment to expand production lines and the footprint of its buildings is bringing 30 additional jobs to Summit Plastics, Pike County Economic Development District officials announced Friday.

The plant on Highway 51 will now have a payroll of more than 80 people, according to Jill Busby, executive director of the economic development district.

Part of the expansion focused on infrastructure, including a new road leading to the plant. A Mississippi Development Authority grant with matching contributions from the Town of Summit and Pike County paid for that work.

Summit councilmen also plan to vote Tuesday on site plans for the construction of a new maintenance facility at the plant. They had earlier agreed to plans that would allow plant officials to install larger silos used to store plastic pellets.

Other aspects of the expansion have included new manufacturing lines, employee breakrooms, executive meeting rooms, additional office space and a new quality control lab.

Summit Plastics is looking into acquisitions that will expand the company even further, Busby said.

“I am thrilled with the partnership we have with the Town of Summit,” Summit Plastics President and CEO Tom Nathanson said in a news release. “The mayor and town council have been incredibly supportive and have been instrumental in helping us achieve our goal of making Summit Plastics a premium employer in the area.”

Summit Plastics has implemented bonuses for every employee that pay out every 90 days. Additionally, the company offers employees a comprehensive health and wellness program.

The company is using Southwest Mississippi Community College’s Workforce Development Center to train its employees.

“This process has been a great deal easier because of the dedication of our employees,” Nathanson said. “We have great people that work hard. I have had business ventures in many states and I’m very pleased with Mississippi’s one-of-a-kind workforce programs.”

Summit Plastics makes polyethylene film and bags, including bags on rolls, separated bags, centerfold bags, gusseted and flat bags, single-wound sheeting, perforated sheets, centerfold sheeting, tubing, center slit gusseted tubing, perforated sleeves and shrink bundling film, among other products.

The products are manufactured to various customer specifications, with a variety of color and printing options, as well as anti-static and insect repellant additives, and biodegradable and antimicrobial plastics.