60-year-old packaging company making the move to Elgin
The Elgin City Council cleared the way for a 60-year-old, family-owned packaging company to move to the city.
Forest Packaging, currently located in Elk Grove Village, received unanimous approval on Wednesday for a zoning change that allows the company to relocate to an existing building at 1450 Bowes Road.
Company President John Kula says the move will allow Forest Packaging — which specializes in manufacturing corrugated boxes, products and displays — to expand its operations.
“Elgin is definitely supportive of the manufacturing community, and I think that was one of the big things,” Kula said on Friday. “And we found the right building to house us and help us grow for the next 30 years.”
The building offers triple the space of Forest Packaging’s current home at 1955 Estes Ave. in Elk Grove Village, according to Kula.
“It’s huge for us,” he said. “I don’t ever want to have to move again.”
The vacant 113,464-square-foot building sits at the northeast corner of Bowes Road and South McLean Boulevard. It was the former home of snack food manufacturing company TH Foods Inc.
Forest Packaging doesn’t manufacture corrugated material, but rather designs and assembles corrugated products, such as boxes, through various processes, including printing, cutting, folding and gluing.
Kula described his business as “a closed circuit,” handling everything from design to delivery in-house.
He said the location also was attractive because of its proximity to Elgin Community College, where he hopes to draw potential employees for his company.
“My goal in the next five to 10 years is to double what we’re doing currently,” he said.
The facility will operate two shifts, from 5 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Community Development Director Marc Mylott said the company would employ “between 44 and hopefully up to 60 people.”
No exterior changes are planned for the building. Kula said he hopes to be “fully operational” by the end of the second quarter next year.
rwest@dailyherald.com