Construction worker Adam Kilgore cuts the extra length off bolts attaching a vertical support to the ground at Southern Champion Tray. The supports are being installed for the addition of a second level to part of their warehouse.New products, added markets and more business from existing customers are fueling an expansion by Southern Champion Tray, catapulting its Chattanooga workforce by 105 employees over three years.
“It’s not explosive growth, but year after year, it’s good progress,” said John Zeiser, CEO of the business that makes bakery and food packaging items.
The company, which expects to have about 565 workers in the city after the expansion, also will invest $18.1 million in new equipment and in a 16,000-square-foot truck fleet service facility.
The jobs will range from truck drivers to entry-level posts, Zeiser said.
At its North Chattanooga plant on Compress Street, Southern Champion Tray will add manufacturing machines including a cutter, gluer and new tray-forming equipment.