A local manufacturing plant plans to undertake a significant expansion, adding nearly 120,000 square feet to its existing site with plans for an additional 64,000 sq. ft. building in the future.
The proposal from Gerresheimer-Wilden Plastics would triple the current size of its manufacturing and research and development campus, located on Ga. Highway 74 South next to Hoshizaki America.
The 16-acre Gerresheimer site abuts the Flat Creek Nature Area at its rear and currently has a 61,000 sq. ft. manufacturing building.
Wilden is known as the European market leader for manufacturing medical drug-delivery plastic systems.
In addition to the four proposed buildings for the site, the plan includes adding a deceleration lane to Ga. Highway 74 that would lead into a new driveway to allow truck traffic to be separated from the rest of the vehicle circulation pattern, noted City Planner David Rast.
The expansion as proposed includes room for an additional 252 parking spaces on the site.
Much of the proposed expansion area is heavily wooded, and Gerresheimer will need to replace one canopy tree and one understory tree for each 1,000 sq. ft. of new construction.
The proposal got a preliminary vetting from the Peachtree City Planning Commission Monday night and will be voted on at a future meeting.
The property is already zoned for the expansion and would not require any further approval by the City Council.
Planning Commission Chairman Frank Destadio thanked Gerresheimer officials for “expanding in Peachtree City.”
According to its self-description in the Fayette County Chamber of Commerce directory, “We develop and produce high-quality specialty products made of glass and plastic, primarily for the pharma and life science industry. In addition to specific primary containers for a wide variety of substances and medicines, our product and service portfolio comprises complex drug delivery systems. We are one of the few companies in our sector to specialize equally in both of the major primary-material categories of importance in this demanding market, i.e., glass and plastic.”
The plant was acquired by Gerresheimer in 2007.
