After 35 years in Glens Falls, Genpak LLC, a company that manufactures food packaging products for the retail food processing and food service industries, is moving its headquarters at 68 Warren St. to Charlotte, N.C.
Kevin Kelly, president of Genpak, said that the decision to relocate was based solely on business considerations and had nothing to do with the local business climate or the quality of workers in the region.
“This was a tough call,” said Kelly. “But, we have no manufacturing here. There are three plants, plus our R&D facility located in Charlotte and, we felt that proximity to these facilities was vital to the long-term health of our business.”
Kelly said when the company first moved to Glens Falls more than 30 years ago, it had one manufacturing plant. Today, there are 13 operations in the United States and four in Canada.
“We have had tremendous growth and we feel that we can collaborate and innovate more freely and efficiently by re-locating near our R&D facility and the other plants,” he said.
Currently, there are 62 people employed at Genpak’s headquarters in Glens Falls. The move is scheduled for May 2017.
Kelly noted that every employee was invited to relocate to Charlotte with the company.
“About half of them are relocating with us,” said Kelly. Others are retiring. “Without a doubt, this will be difficult for some people, but they have all rallied and continue to produce great work for us. One of our goals moving forward is to duplicate that kind of positive spirit at our new location.”
Mayor Jack Diamond is disappointed about the company’s departure from the area but, in a recent statement, he said that he understands the business rationale that prompted the decision to move. Both the city and the EDC are working diligently to replace the lost jobs and fill the 27,000 square foot building that Genpak occupies until next May.
The company started with one manufacturing facility located in Middletown, N.Y.
Its range of food packaging products has multiplied over the years. It includes product from foam-hinged containers to oven-ready bakery trays. The company serves the retail, food processing and food service industries.
According to the company, its manufacturing scope ranges across 10 different rigid packaging substrates along with six kinds of flexible packaging materials. Officials said those material options are constantly being improved upon in terms of quality and aggressive environmental stewardship goals. Genpak also continually tests and reviews other materials both traditional and hybrid to keep its customers competitive and at the leading edge of new developments.