Footprint, LLC bringing 115 jobs to county

A vacant industrial facility in Chester County will soon be rising from the ashes. Footprint, LLC, a company that specializes in the direct manufacturing of sustainable materials and packaging, is establishing manufacturing operations in Chester County.  Footprint went by the code name “Project: Phoenix” when being discussed by Chester County Council in recent weeks. Third reading of a fee-in-lieu-of-tax and incentive agreement was passed unanimously on Monday. The company is investing $15.4 million to establish the facility, creating an expected 115 new jobs over the next five years. Headquartered in Gilbert, Ariz., Footprint was founded by two former employees of the Intel Corporation, Troy Swope and Yoke Chung. Determined to change the way products are manufactured and packaged, Footprint provides economical and environmentally-friendly packaging solutions to its customers. Since its inception, the firm has seen significant growth and currently operates facilities in three countries, including the United States, Mexico and China. Among the industries that Footprint serves are consumer goods, food and beverage, produce and horticulture and product manufacturing. To house its Chester County operations, Footprint is leasing a 109,000-square-foot building at 546 L&C Distribution Park in Richburg, S.C. As the firm’s newest and most advanced manufacturing facility, the Chester County operations will focus on the production and delivery of sustainable packaging materials for the company’s East Coast and Canadian customers. The Coordinating Council for Economic Development has approved job development credits related to the project. Swope said available workforce played a big part in the company’s decision to locate in Chester. “We are very excited about our South Carolina operation and the unique geographic and technical advantage it will provide. When looking at the available workforce and our next generation of sustainable materials and manufacturing technologies, South Carolina became the clear choice for our new state of the art facility.” Swope said. Gov. Nikki Haley said the announcement is another win for South Carolina in general and Chester specifically. “The news that Footprint, LLC has made the decision to do business in South Carolina is a tremendous reason to celebrate across the state. The $15.4 million investment and the 115 new jobs they are creating in Chester County will make a real difference in the local community, and we look forward to watching them grow there for many years to come.” –Gov. Nikki Haley State Secretary of Commerce Bobby Hitt called Footprint “Innovative” and said he was impressed with their sustainable business practices. Chester County Supervisor Carlisle Roddey said this announcement, coming on the heels of the groundbreaking at the site of the Giti Tire plant last week, is a sign that investing in economic development has paid off in the county. “We are confident that Footprint, LLC will find an excellent environment for future growth. Our focus will continue to be centered on creating new and better paying job opportunities for the hardworking citizens of Chester County. This $15.4 million investment and the 115 new jobs it brings are another sign that Chester County’s hard work in economic development has paid off,” Roddey said. Chester Development Association Chairman Brian Singleton said Chester is getting “a technology focused company that is investing over $15 million in an existing industrial building and bringing 115 more jobs to the area.” Hiring for the new positions is anticipated to start in the third quarter of 2015 and continue through 2016 as new manufacturing lines are installed. From Staff Reports, printed in The News & Reporter