Anchor Glass Container Corp. was bought in August by Luxembourg-based Ardagh Group and now the signs are being changed at the Westside plant.
The City approved four permits Monday for ground signs at the 2121 Huron St. glass plant. The signs include "Ardagh Group" and the AG logo to replace the Anchor Glass signs. Jax Electrical Contracting Inc. is the contractor.
Ardagh announced in August it received U.S. regulatory approval and completed the acquisition of Tampa-based Anchor Glass Container from private investment funds managed by Wayzata Investment Partners LLC. The transaction involved a total cash consideration of $880 million, Ardagh said.
Anchor serves the North American food and beverage industries and is the third-largest glass container manufacturer in the U.S., Ardagh said.
Anchor makes about 5.6 billion containers a year at its eight plants, including in Jacksonville, and employs about 2,700 people. It has annual revenue of about $800 million.
Anchor has served the breweries operated by Anheuser-Busch, which became known as AB InBev after its 2008 acquisition by Leuven, Belgium-based InBev.
Ardagh Group said AB InBev is one of its largest customers.
Ardagh Group produces metal and glass packaging for food, beverage and consumer product brands worldwide. It operates 100 manufacturing plants in 25 countries and employs about 17,700 people.
Ardagh Group said its customers, along with AB InBev, include Heineken, Diageo, Pernod Ricard, Bacardi Martini, Heinz, Nestle, Danone, Unilever, Procter and Gamble, L'Oreal, Snapple, Coca-Cola, Del Monte and other international brands.
Anchor Glass was incorporated in 1997 and reports it serves some of North America's largest brands in the beer, beverage, liquor and consumer product industries and produces glass containers of many designs, sizes and shapes.
Property records show the Jacksonville plant encompasses at least 370,000 square feet on 17.6 acres. Records show five buildings, comprising the manufacturing plant and smaller warehouse and utility buildings. The 2012 taxable value was $5.5 million.
Ardagh has not responded to a question about the number of employees at the Jacksonville plant. Previous published reports place the range from 200-240.
JAX Chamber schedules annual meeting at Baseball Grounds
The JAX Chamber scheduled its 128th annual meeting for 6-9 p.m. Jan. 24 at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville. The chamber expects more than 1,000 members at the "Hitting for the Cycle" event to "celebrate the home runs of 2012."
For information, visit myjaxchamber.com or call 366-6675.
Energy forum on tap this week
The JAX Chamber and Consumer Energy Alliance scheduled the 2012 Energy Policy Forum for 8-11 a.m. Thursday at the Hyatt Downtown. It is the second session of the Transportation Forum. The first was in January.
The Thursday session will feature a discussion about the future of energy policy at the federal level under the new Congress and the second term of the Obama administration and will focus on energy policies needed at the state level to assist regional economic development.
The federal panel will be moderated by University of North Florida President John Delaney, incoming chair of the chamber's JAXUSA Partnership economic development division.
The regional panel will be moderated by Rayonier Inc. Vice President of Government Affairs Charley Hood.
For information, call (904) 366-6600, ext. 7610, or visit myjaxchamber.com.
Intermodal conference to feature PepsiCo, GM speakers
Six topics are planned for the JaxPort 2013 Logistics & Intermodal Conference scheduled March 19 at the Omni Amelia Island Plantation.
Along with an update about JaxPort's major initiatives, the conference will explore:
• Twelve Global Megatrends — The trends that will impact the consumer value chain. The keynote speaker will be John Phillips, PepsiCo Inc. senior vice president of customer supply chain and logistics.
• The Mandate to Grow U.S. Exports — An overview by Christine Krathwohl, General Motors executive director of global logistics and supplier diversity, will be followed by a panel discussion moderated by Steve Rand, president and CEO of Amports, one of the largest automobile processors in North America.
• Solutions to Rising Industry Costs — Curtis Spencer, president of the IMS Worldwide Inc. international trade consulting firm, will moderate a panel discussion.
• U.S. Manufacturing and Evolving Sourcing Patterns — A discussion led by Walter Kemmsies, chief economist at Moffatt & Nichol, a global infrastructure adviser specializing in maritime and transportation.
• Where's the Money? The Role of Public-Private Partnerships in U.S. Port Development — Eric Johnson, associate editor of American Shipper magazine, will lead a panel discussion.
• The Economic Future of Puerto Rico — Waleska Rivera, president of the San Juan-based Puerto Rico Manufacturers Association, will moderate the discussion.
The conference is limited to 350 registrants and is designed for senior executives in logistics and transportation throughout the United States.
It starts March 18 with the CSX opening night reception, followed by the March 19 events and CSX conference dinner and concludes March 20 with the Norfolk Southern Golf Tournament.
For more information, visit jaxportconference.com or call (904) 357-3047.
Food notes
• The City OK'd a permit for Suncoast Industrial & Construction Services to remodel the Dunkin' Donuts at 5150 University Blvd. W. at a project cost of $110,000. It's a 3,431-square-foot building.
• A wall sign was approved for Yahala Mideast Market at 7001 Merrill Road. Taylor Sign & Design Inc. is the contractor for the $1,475 project.
Journal notes: Party rules and holiday jewels
The Wall Street Journal columnist Jason Gay wrote Monday about his "23 Rules of the Holiday Party" and four of particular note are:
No. 7. If you see the company CEO at the holiday party, walk right up and give the boss a 90-minute, detailed lecture on all of the things you would do differently if you were the boss. Highly encouraged! All CEOs love a good unsolicited 90-minute lecture.
No. 9. If you work in a company with an art department, just know the people in the art department have more fun than anybody. They have expensive haircuts and cooler shoes, and after the company party, they're going to a better party, and you're absolutely not invited.
No. 15. If your company holiday party is a karaoke party, do yourself a favor. Get a co-worker, spend $2,000 on a vocal coach, take six weeks of lessons and master Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton's "Islands in the Stream." It will be a smash hit, you will both become office legends and will probably get promoted the next day.
No. 20. No, you don't need to go to the underground disco after the holiday party. That's for the employees 25 and under and they're already freaked out that you're in the car with them and demanding to hear Phil Collins.
@MathisKb
(904) 356-2466