Paperboard packaging company Southern Champion Tray (SCT) is developing a new manufacturing facility in Tennessee, US, to expand its operations in the region.

The $84.9m manufacturing facility is expected to generate more than 120 jobs over the next five years. Construction is expected to commence in early 2021, with completion scheduled for 2022.

The company was supported by the Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce throughout the planning phase.

The new facility will be located in the Hamilton Enterprise Park, around 42km from Cincinnati in Ohio, US.

Hamilton has been selected as the preferred location as it is easily accessed from the rest of the Midwest. The state of Ohio also offers the required infrastructure, supply chain, talented workforce and advanced manufacturing capabilities, as well as being close in proximity to potential clients.

The state-of-the-art production facility will cover an area of 350,000ft² in the Hamilton Enterprise Park.

Squire Patton Boggs provided advisory services to Saica Group for the project. The group collaborated with REDI Cincinnati, JobsOhio, the City of Hamilton and the Ohio Development Services Agency for the development.

SCT is a family-owned company manufacturing paperboard packaging for the bakery and foodservice industry. Established in 1927, the company is headquartered in Chattanooga and has more than 750 employees across its sites in Tennessee, Texas and Ohio.

The company serves a number of markets, including foodservice, bakery, frozen foods, supermarket, personal care, cosmetic, retail, electronics, medical and pharmaceutical.

It produces paperboard and corrugated packaging for bakery, foodservice and catering markets, as well as moulded fibre tableware products and food and drink carriers.

SCT acquired Honeymoon Paper Products in June 2020 to expand its product line manufacturing capabilities.