By Robin Postell
LOWNDES CO., Ga. – On Thursday, October 3, at 9 a.m., at 1 Arglass Road at 2775 Rocky Ford Road, every who’s who in Lowndes County, plus Governor and First Lady Brian and Marty Kemp were in attendance for the official groundbreaking ceremony for a much-anticipated Japanese-based company, Arglass.
Arglass representatives and the Valdosta-Lowndes County Development Authority held the ceremony with Mayor John Gayle, Lowndes County Commissioner Bill Slaughter, Argass CEO José de Diego-Arozamena and others speaking prior to Governor Brian Kemp.
Mayor John Gayle underscored how important the 150 new jobs that Arglass will guarantee for the local workforce but also the satellite retail businesses that will consequently follow to support the new industry.
Lowndes County Commissioner Chairman Bill Slaughter introduced Governor Kemp, who was sitting with him, Mayor Gayle and First Lady Marty Kemp on the first row.
The huge dusty field where the enormous plant will be located was donated by Bill and Pope Langdale, who were thanked officiously for their contribution.
Kemp delivered a nearly 10-minute-long speech that spoke easily and cogently about rural initiatives regarding business and his “keeping Georgians first” commitment.
Kemp has been in Valdosta and surrounding counties for several days and his relationship to the area and people was evident.
“Georgia, specifically the Valdosta region, will allow us to run a very flexible, efficient, and cost-effective manufacturing operation, while remaining close to our customer base in the South and eastern parts of the United States,” said Arglass Yamamura CEO José de Diego-Arozamena. “We wish to thank local and state officials who have been instrumental in the site selection process and look forward to working with local businesses as we become an active member of the Valdosta community.”
Arglass Yamamura is a joint venture partnership between Japan-based Nihon Yamamura Glass Co., Ltd. and Cambium Arglass, a privately-held investment company. Arglass Yamamura was created to serve customers’ needs for flexibility, efficiency and customization and help reduce the need to import glass bottles from foreign glass plants. The company will operate a state-of-the-art facility that incorporates the latest glass forming technology and cutting-edge environmental controls for a reduced environmental footprint.
The land was donated by Pope and Bill Langdale.
As the first new glass plant in America in over a generation, Arglass is born to serve those customers whose needs for flexibility, efficiency and customization are not being met by legacy U.S. manufacturers or foreign glass suppliers.
The plant has been designed taking into account the best available proven technology and layout to provide for high quality, highly flexible and efficient production.
Production capacity: 100,000 metric tons per year / 265,000,000 units per year Arglass.us.com
Arglass began construction of its first glass container plant in August 2019, furnace start-up begins Q4 2020, and will be fully operational the first quarter of 2021.
