Sterling Contract Packaging Inc was founded in 1996 and has vast packaging and manufacturing expertise. Sterling has an array of packaging and labelling with capability in high-volume blister packaging, radio frequency sealing, auto bagging, shrink wrapping, bottle and tube filling and automated labelling systems.
Regarded as one of the largest contract packaging facilities in the US southeast, Sterling specialises in automated packaging in conjunction with management experience and retail distribution – full project management from package engineering to warehouse management and final package distribution.
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It is involved in the processes from package engineering to the final distribution. It also handles international sourcing, procurement, transportation and warehouse management.
The warehousing at the 54,000ft² facility is run by a computerised locator system to make inventory management much more efficient. The facility is equipped with a state-of-the-art climate control system which normalises the temperature and humidity throughout the warehouse and also greatly reduces airborne particulates in the building during packaging operations.
Latest developments
In February 2009 Sterling announced expansion plans in Spartanburg County, South Carolina that would add 50 jobs. The expansion was based on a new deal with Kaz Inc of Massachusetts for the provision of packaging and logistics services for up to 110 of their products.
Kaz produces heaters, insecticide devices, steam inhalers, air cleaners, heating pads, humidifiers, fans and thermometers under well-known brand names such as Vicks, Honeywell, Braun and Protec. The majority of these products are sold through US national retail chains such as Walgreens, Wal-Mart, Home Depot and Lowe’s Home Improvement.
Kaz closed two of its manufacturing operations in Hudson, New York State and Southborough, Memphis in a rationalisation process during 2008-2009.
The company then hired Sterling to provide a supply chain management, product packaging and warehouse services solution from the newly expanded base of operations at Spartanburg.
This centralisation of packaging and shipping / distribution will help to cut costs and allow Kaz to provide a better delivery of products to the retailer.
Sterling contract expansion plans
Sterling already has an existing facility at 139 Interstate Park which has 54,000ft² of floor space, but this could not be expanded any further to accommodate the Kaz contract.
Because of this a new building was sought and a second facility was opened in April 2009 at the Corporate Center Business Park.
The new facility has a floor space of 30,000ft² and provides packaging and distribution services for the existing range of Kaz products.
Michael Hastings, president of Sterling CPI commented: “This is very exciting for us… It’s a major addition for us. The deal was big enough that we had to go out and get another building to establish two sites.”
The new packaging facility is located in a space on the Corporate Center Business Park that was previously used by Progress Lighting. The building has a great number of facilities and services already installed and ready for Sterling but Pete Wiseman, the owner and operator of the Corporate Center, is in the process of retrofitting the building with facilities to suit Sterling requirements.
The building was intended to include some office space, multiple loading docks, and a large production floor and was chosen to some extent because of its easy access to the interstate for shipping Kaz products countrywide.
