Continental Waste Management Plans to Open Plastics Recycling Facility in Virginia

Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell has announced that Continental Waste Management LLC, based in Raleigh, N.C., is investing $6 million to establish a post-industrial and post-consumer plastic recycling plant in Covington, Va. The company also will produce plastic/wood composite products at the facility.

In a release, McDonnell says, "This project is tremendous for Covington and Alleghany County. Not only will Continental Waste Management create 100 new jobs for a region that is striving to rebound, they are able to put a former industrial property back into productive use. Virginia is gaining a great corporate partner in this environmentally conscious recycling company."

"I am confident that Covington will be a great fit for Continental Waste Management's new operation," says Jim Cheng, Virginia secretary of commerce and trade. "The company has access to a facility infrastructure that meets its production and recycling needs, and the region offers an eager, available workforce to fill the new jobs."

Mike Wade, Continental plant manager, says the new operation will take over roughly 25 percent of an idled plastics extrusion facility in Covington.

Continental Waste Management will be vertically integrated operation that will produce both clean PET flake and pellet and molded plastic products for worldwide markets. The Covington manufacturing operation will begin early summer 2011 on a small scale, with full operations expected to start in 12 months, Wade adds. When fully operational, Wade says the facility should be able to process between 50,000 to 60,000 tons of plastic per year.

"I am extremely excited about the growth opportunities presented to our business by locating in the commonwealth of Virginia," says Ujas Patel, president of Continental Waste Management. "Virginia offers us both the infrastructure and qualified workforce needed to support our growth plans and Covington, Va., is a great location for industrial operations."

To assist in the project, McDonnell approved a $150,000 grant from the Governor's Opportunity Fund to assist Covington with the project. Through its Virginia Jobs Investment Program, the Virginia Department of Business Assistance will provide funding and services to support the company's recruitment and training activities.