Film plant may still have future

Manuli Stretch USA Inc., which shuttered its stretch film plant on Railroad Avenue last month, is reportedly looking for a buyer or joint venture partner for the facility.

The Italian company had said it would expand its product offerings available from offshore affiliates.

But according to Plastics News, during the next few months Manuli will decide whether to incur costs of relocating machinery to other plants versus selling the Shelbyville assets or forming a joint venture involving the assets.

Dan Maiorino, general manager of Manuli Stretch USA Inc, told Plastics News it was not a fire sale or liquidation and that it "doesn't change our marketing and sales strategy."

Company's outlook

The company, Manuli Stretch Group of Milan, had acquired Quintec Films Corporation in late 2007. Manuli is a major stretch film producer.

321 Capital Partners LLC of Elkridge, Md., is assisting Manuli in evaluating opportunities, Plastics News stated.

The local facility, which was a two-line operation with 25 million pounds per year film capacity, was "judged too small to pursue the wide range of markets" that was staked out by its parent company, Maiorino said last week.

Production was halted in early December with about 25 production employees losing their jobs, however it was stated that the location would continue as a sales office.

Maiorino had explained that the Shelbyville factory focused on seven-layer specialty stretch films, but the U.S. company will be now be able to offer a broader range of specialties and commodity films.