MWV opens pilot plant in Eastern Henrico, adds 114 jobs - NBC12.com - Richmond, VA News

MWV opens pilot plant in Eastern Henrico, adds 114 jobs

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HENRICO, VA (WWBT) -

MeadWestvaco has opened a new pilot plant in Eastern Henrico and added 114 jobs in the Richmond area.

The product packaging company, headquartered in downtown Richmond, calls the plant its Center for Packaging Innovation.

Investing $13 million in infrastructure and equipment, MWV moved the plant from Raleigh, North Carolina, bringing along 78 employees, plus adding 36 new jobs in Richmond. Seven positions are located at the pilot plant, the rest are at the company's headquarters.

Jobs range from research and development to industrial design to intellectual property law, with an average salary of $100,000.

The pilot plant, combined with two floors of new laboratories at the downtown headquarters, invent new types of packaging for a variety of products.

"We have active end programs in businesses such as healthcare, compliance packaging for healthcare, food, food service, tobacco, beverages and service, a number of areas where we are innovating with our customers on an almost daily basis," explained MWV Vice President of Global Innovation Alex Cedeno.

State Senator Don McEachin (D - Henrico) toured the pilot plant Tuesday, remarking, "It's encouraging. These high tech jobs, high paying jobs, are always a good thing. It's going to be positive for this area and positive for my district."

MWV officials say its new jobs are filled and the plant is in operation. But they say the company plans to expand and add more jobs in the coming years. MeadWestvaco now employs 850 people in greater Richmond.

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