Three years after being closed, Bennu Glass (previously known as Cameron Family Glass Packaging) is now fully operating at the Port of Kalama, Cowlitz County, Washington, US, and has created 95 new jobs that add USD 6.5 million in wages to the local economy. Moreover, the opening of the glassworks is spurring new development in the area.
11 September 2009, the Cameron family of Pennsylvania closed its wine-bottle manufacturing plant at the Port of Kalama, shattering one of Cowlitz County’s most promising economic developments.
Three years on, officials at Bennu Glass, which bought the shuttered plant, celebrated its resurrection, which has created 95 new jobs that add USD 6.5 million in wages to the local economy.
After four speakers addressed the group and a moment of silence was held for the victims of the 11 September 2001, attacks, Bennu officials held a luncheon and led tours of the fully operating plant. Bennu made its first production-quality bottles in July and plans to produce 100 million bottles annually at full capacity.
Bennu bought the plant at foreclosure auction in March 2010 for USD 64.8 million. The company then spent an additional USD 35 million, including USD 12 million for a new, giant furnace fuelled by liquid oxygen and natural gas.
Bennu is owned by New York-based financial firm Medley Capital, which invested about USD 30 million in the USD 109 million Cameron plant.
The Camerons originally opened the plant in 2008, opting to power the melter with electricity, a risky technology. The company was ultimately unable to produce usable coloured glass and shut down the following year.
The opening of Bennu has already spurred new development at the Port of Kalama, with Miami-based All American Containers expanding its wine-bottle distribution business next to the Bennu plant. All American plans to add about a dozen jobs distributing Bennu bottles throughout the West Coast.