First Quality to create 115 jobs in Macon, make more than $68 million investment

First Quality Packaging Solutions has chosen Macon for its “flagship manufacturing facility,” a move that will bring 115 jobs, officials announced Wednesday.

First Quality plans to invest more than $68 million in Macon-Bibb County over the next five years, with possible expansion opportunities, in a facility that will design, develop and manufacture plastic packaging for the retail food, food service and health care markets.

The company will renovate a 314,000-square-foot building on Industrial Highway it moved out of about five years ago when it built a new 800,000-square-foot facility on Avondale Mill Road for its diaper operation, First Quality Baby Products.

More than 50 people gathered for the announcement at the Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce building.

First Quality Packaging Solutions is a new company under the First Quality group, said Don Deubel, the general manager.

“Once again we are expanding our relationship with Macon-Bibb County,” Deubel said. “Our hope is over the course of the next three years to source about 115 employees. It could be more depending on growth, but that’s our goal for the next to three to five years.”

Mayor Robert Reichert said First Quality’s decision to choose the Macon community for a second facility was significant and “sends a strong message.” The company could have selected one of its other many locations across the country.

“We are thrilled with your decision,” Reichert said. “This is an exciting day for Macon-Bibb County.”

Brian Powers, the human resources director, said “the strength and support of our existing workforce here in Macon, as well as our confidence in the pool of skilled labor, contributed to the decision of First Quality Packaging Solutions to commit to Macon-Bibb County.

“Just as important is the pro-business environment that you all have created here in Georgia, especially here in Macon-Bibb County,” Powers said. “We look forward to a long-standing partnership with Macon-Bibb County for many, many years to come.”

After the announcement, Pat Topping, senior vice president of the Macon Economic Development Commission, said local and state governments had offered the company its traditional tax credits based on the number of jobs created and a tax abatement for 10 years based on the amount of the investment the company makes.

The company began working with officials on the location about six months ago.

It has already started putting some of its management team together, Powers said.

“In a month or two we will have our management in place, and then we’ll start building out the operations and start developing our training programs,” he said.

Since the building is under construction, it will take some time before more large-scale hiring will take place, he said. But interested job seekers can check for available positions on the company’s website at www.goo.gl/H6onUM.

First Quality Baby Products has had a diaper-manufacturing facility here, under different names, since 2009, when it bought the Covidien plant on 7510 Industrial Highway. Officials were concerned then that the plant might close.

Five years ago, First Quality Baby Products invested about $35 million in building its new, high-tech facility at 2108 Avondale Mill Road. The expansion was expected to not only create 150 new jobs but save more than 200 existing jobs. The company employs about 280 workers at the plant now.

The older facility, which has been vacant since then, will be home to the new company.

“We are completely gutting, renovating and modernizing the existing facility,” Deubel said. “Renovation has already started. It will be completed by early next year.”

To contact writer Linda S. Morris, call 744-4223.

This story was originally published June 17, 2015 at 10:30 AM with the headline "First Quality to create 115 jobs in Macon, make more than $68 million investment ."