Clayco, a full-service, turnkey real estate, architecture, engineering, design-build and construction firm, celebrated the groundbreaking of WestRock’s new 410,000-square-foot corrugated box plant in Longview, Washington. Located just outside of the Vancouver, Washington metropolitan area, this marks the first collaboration between Clayco and WestRock.
Developed by JB2 Partners and owned by an investment fund managed by ElmTree Funds, the new building will host a WestRock corrugated manufacturing operation, which will create approximately 40 jobs in Longview, Washington when production begins in the fall of 2023. Situated on 23.5 acres, the single-story, concrete tilt-up manufacturing facility will have a clearance height of 44 feet.
“At Clayco, we take pride in our responsibility to help clients bring goods closer to consumers and their communities faster and more efficiently,” said Anthony Johnson, president of Clayco’s Industrial Business Unit. “Along these lines, we are excited that ElmTree Funds engaged Clayco and JB2 to help WestRock promote safety and quality and accelerate speed to market.”
“This new packaging plant will enable our team in the region to serve customers even better in the future, with a manufacturing facility that will provide new capabilities and efficiencies,” said David B. Sewell, chief executive officer of WestRock. “We are pleased to invest in a local community that is vibrant and growing.”
“The Cowlitz Economic Development Council is proud to have been a part of assisting WestRock with this innovative expansion,” said Ted Sprague, president, Cowlick County Economic Development Council. “The increase in jobs and new capital investment will serve our community and region well into the future.”
An investment fund managed by ElmTree Funds, a real estate private equity firm headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, is the owner of the project. ElmTree Funds engaged JB2 Partners to act as developer and Clayco to act as general contractor to consolidate and expand the mill operations in Longview.
“We are thrilled to continue building on our partnership with WestRock through this high-visibility project,” said Brian Boehm, a managing director for ElmTree Funds.
“The ElmTree team, along with our developer, JB2, and our general contractor, Clayco, took a thoughtful, solutions-driven approach to deliver at cost and in scope. We’re eager to see this project come to fruition.”
The project started in August and is set to be completed in fall 2023. The building is designed by Lamar Johnson Collaborative (LJC) and Clayco is collaborating with Langan on civil engineering services.