American Fuji Seal, Inc. to invest $52M and create 101 jobs in Trivium Corporate Center
The City of Hickory, Catawba County, and the Catawba County Economic Development Corporation (EDC) welcome American Fuji Seal, Inc. as the fourth tenant in the Trivium Corporate Center.
American Fuji Seal is a group company of Fuji Seal International, Inc., headquartered in Osaka, Japan. American Fuji Seal plans to construct a 260,000 square foot manufacturing facility for the production of shrink sleeve labels for the food, beverage, home and personal care, and pharmaceutical industries.
Over the next five years, American Fuji Seal plans to create 101 jobs and invest a minimum of $52 million in new facility construction, machinery, and equipment. Salaries for the new employees will vary by position and experience with an overall average salary of $48,931, which is higher than the Catawba County average wage. The expansion of American Fuji Seal’s North American production was necessitated by growing market demand of shrink sleeve labels. The new facility will help meet product growth requirements.
"American Fuji Seal, Inc. is pleased to announce the expansion of our current North American operations by building a state-of-the-art facility in North Carolina, with a focus on a safe working environment, and environmental stewardship," said American Fuji Seal, Inc. President, Akikazu Yada. "The expansion will further enhance our position in the market as a total packaging solutions provider & the Global Leader of Shrink Sleeve Labels. I would like to express gratitude for the support of various levels of local and state government for our project. We look forward to the future and success with all our partners and the surrounding community for years to come."
"In welcoming American Fuji Seal to Catawba County, we continue to expand the number of international companies in Trivium Corporate Center," said Randy Isenhower, chair, Catawba County Board of Commissioners and chair, Trivium Corporate Center Board of Directors. "Their choice to locate here is yet another indicator that our county and our workforce are attractive to Foreign Direct Investment, which increases local salaries, external investment, and growth in GDP."
"We understood at the beginning of the pandemic that the food industry, among others, is a critical and essential industry," added Hickory Mayor Hank Guess. "American Fuji Seal represents the precise critical and essential advanced manufacturing industries that we envisioned locating in Trivium Corporate Center. We are proud to welcome American Fuji Seal to Hickory."
"The long-standing wisdom of having the right product at the right place at the right time has allowed us to again capitalize on our investment in Trivium Corporate Center,” said Warren Wood, Hickory City Manager and Trivium Corporate Center President. “The vision of the County and the City of Hickory to invest in the right product has resulted in the park being ready at the right time, while Catawba County has always been the right place for advanced manufacturing.”
"Opportunities such as these are why we work tirelessly to prepare our workforce in skill related competencies like graphic design, computer aided design, robotics, and mechatronics," said Garrett Hinshaw, chair of Catawba County EDC and President of Catawba Valley Community College. "Having a skilled and competent workforce is critical for business and industry, and we are committed to working with American Fuji Seal as they seek to hire for their positions."
American Fuji Seal plans to hire a variety of employees for the new manufacturing operation in areas of graphic design, production, engineering and management. Hiring is expected to begin in 2022.
Local incentives will be considered for the project at upcoming public hearings by the Catawba County Board of Commissioners and Hickory City Council.
About Fuji Seal International, Inc. and American Fuji Seal, Inc.
Fuji Seal provides shrink sleeve labels, self-adhesive labels (pressure sensitive labels), spouted pouches, and packaging machinery on a global scale. Utilizing the technology and capabilities of the Fuji Seal Group, they provide total packaging solutions to meet customers’ needs in a wide range of areas, such as food, beverages, dairy, home & personal care and pharmaceutical products.
Media Contact:
Catawba County Economic Development Corporation
Scott Millar
828-267-1564
smillar@catawbacountync.gov