SUFFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — A Dutch manufacturer that creates cardboard used in luxury products from Dom Pérignon to Giorgio Armani is moving to Suffolk’s new Coastal Logistics Center.
Suffolk Communication Director Jennifer Moore made the announcement on Monday via press release, saying ESKA USA will move its local operations from Chesapeake to the recently opened industrial park at Carolina Road and the Route 58 Bypass, just up the road from the city’s airport.
“ESKA USA’s decision to relocate its operations to Suffolk is a testament to our city’s appeal as a destination for global businesses,” said Mayor Mike Duman. “We welcome ESKA USA and are excited about the economic opportunities and job prospects this move brings to our community.”
ESKA will move existing machinery that uses recycled materials to produce the cardboard used in everything from perfume packaging to board games. They’ll start with 39 full-time jobs and are anticipated to expand that workforce significantly in the near future with a “significant investment in machinery upon settling in Suffolk,” Moore says.
This addition is part of phase 1 of the Coastal Logistics Center, and one of several recent and future developments in the city considered key to the long-term health of the Port of Virginia.
“ESKA USA’s move to Suffolk’s Coastal Logistics Center is representative of how The Port of Virginia’s $1.4 billion capital plan is serving as a catalyst for companies to accelerate their business operations within our region,” said Stephen A. Edwards, CEO and executive director of the Virginia Port Authority. “The growing availability of Class-A industrial space in our market is helping the region win companies, good jobs and encouraging the retention and expansion of existing companies like ESKA USA that require access to a modern, growing global logistics hub. The result is more business for the port and more jobs and economic investment for Virginia. We look forward to continuing our partnership with ESKA USA while helping it continue to leverage and utilize America’s most modern gateway.”