Malnove proposes to expand a North Jacksonville packaging warehouse by almost doubling its size to 362,906 square feet in Imeson International Industrial Park.
Civil engineer AVA Engineers Inc. of Jacksonville submitted civil engineering plans to the city June 25 to add 171,925 square feet to a 190,981-square-foot building on its 14.5-acre property at 10500 Canada Drive.
Plans say it is for warehouse space and that no employees or additional trucks are proposed.
The site is at northeast Canada Drive and Malnove Road. Imeson Park is at northeast Main Street and Zoo Parkway.
City utility JEA issued a service availability determination letter for the Malnove project June 28.
Malnove Inc. of Florida is the owner.
A Malnove representative has not responded to a phone call or emails for comment.
Malnove also has applied for an administrative deviation from the city zoning code to reduce the minimum number of off-street parking spaces from 182 to 140. It also seeks a service availability determination request from city utility JEA for the expansion.
Duval County property records show that Malnove acquired the property in 1995 and built an almost 240,000-square-foot industrial building in 1998. The plans for the expansion aren’t clear about the difference for the sizes.
Malnove.com says that Malnove Packaging Solutions in Jacksonville provides package development, manufacturing and shipping expertise on the U.S. East Coast.
It has locations in Florida, Nebraska and Utah.
About Malnove
Malnove offers custom folding carton solutions that include printing, custom cutting, finishing and packaging.
Founded in 1948, Malnove located its headquarters in Omaha, Nebraska, in 1976. The original Jacksonville plant opened in 1981 in Southside, moving to Imeson in 1998. The Utah plant opened in 1985.
Malnove installed robotic palletizing in all facilities in 2020.
Malnove.com posted April 8, 2024, that the company will expand in Jacksonville with a new bailer building that will elevate its in-house bailing capabilities, assist in increased capacity and allow the company to separate and bail “an impressive 99% of our own paperboard scrap.”
The post did not include a building expansion size, so it is not confirmed as the project in the civil engineering plans.
“This venture is set to redefine our operations, marking a significant stride towards a more sustainable and efficient approach to recycling,” the post said.
Paperboard bailing, also called baling, is the process of compressing paper or cardboard into a dense bale and securing it with wire or plastic strapping.
The Malnove post said the new bailer building will have advanced systems that will allow Malnove to continue to separate different grades of paperboard on a larger scale.
“This strategic feature ensures that each type of paperboard can be recycled in its purest form, maximizing the value and minimizing economic impacts,” it said.
The new bailer building also serves as a fail-safe mechanism, the post said.
“Equipped to keep operations running smoothly even during downtime in our current bailer system, it underscores our dedication to reliability and consistency in our recycling processes.”
The building also provides additional storage space that “supports our commitment to innovation and growth, offering the flexibility needed to adapt to evolving market demands.”
Malnove said its investment in the new building expansion “reflects our unwavering dedication to sustainability, efficiency, and staying at the forefront of industry advancements.
“As this project takes shape, we anticipate improving capacity while taking the next step in our commitment to sustainability in manufacturing.”
Incentives OK’d in 2020
JAX Chamber announced Feb. 23, 2021, that Malnove, a folding carton manufacturer, was expanding and upgrading its Jacksonville plant.
The Jacksonville City Council approved a $160,000 property tax incentive Dec. 8, 2020, for Malnove Holding Co. Inc.
“This expansion in Jacksonville is an important next step as we expand in the Southeast and is critical to the overall growth of our company,” said Dale Houck, president of Malnove, in the news release.
“We’ve had success hiring and developing highly-skilled employees in Jacksonville and look forward to continuing to grow here,” he said in the announcement.
Council voted 19-0 for Resolution 2020-0727 to offer the company a five-year, 50% Recapture Enhanced Value Grant in exchange for creating 10 full-time jobs and investing $7.4 million investment in machinery, equipment, furniture and fixtures.
The legislative fact sheet said the plant would add a manufacturing line and buy additional machinery and equipment at a private capital investment estimated at $7.4 million.
The expansion would create 10 full-time manufacturing jobs within 36 months from project completion. The new jobs would be entry-level jobs within the finishing department paying an average of $36,500 ($17.54 per hour). plus benefits.
JAX Chamber said the expansion will create the new jobs and retain 182 jobs at the company’s Imeson International Industrial Park facility.
According to a memo from the city Office of Economic Development with the incentives legislation, Malnove also leases 100,500 square feet of additional warehouse space.
The performance schedule in the economic development agreement shows Malnove completing the equipment purchase and installation by Dec. 31, 2022.
Council amended the bill Dec. 8 to include a clawback that allows the city to recoup the $160,000 if the jobs are not created.
The city said July 3 that the expansion is complete and that $23,002.66 has been paid for the REV grant as of July 1. It said Malnove is in compliance with the economic development agreement.