JBM Packaging breaks ground on ohio facility for eco-friendly paper solutions

USA – JBM Packaging has started construction on a 52,500-square-foot facility in Lebanon, Ohio, to enhance its packing and kitting operations. 

The site, located about one mile from the company’s headquarters, sits on previously undeveloped land and divides into two sections. 

JBM plans to lease roughly 26,800 square feet for its use, equipping the space with two loading dock doors and a drive-in dock per unit. 

This move comes as the company scales up production of recyclable paper-based packaging for food and beverage, personal care, and pharmaceutical clients.

According to Marcus Sheanshang, president and CEO of JBM Packaging, the decision to build locally resolved a multi-year search for expansion space. 

He noted that staying close to headquarters allows the firm to maintain ties with the Lebanon community while addressing capacity needs.

The project supports JBM’s focus on flexible, sustainable packaging amid growing consumer preference for recyclable options. 

In a statement, Dan Puthoff, the company’s chief financial officer, explained that rising kitting and filling volumes had strained existing space. 

He added that the new site will cut lead times and add jobs, particularly through the Fair Chance Program, which trains incarcerated individuals at Ohio’s London Correctional Institution on paper packaging machinery. 

The initiative provides practical skills and job placement after release, with nearly one-third of JBM’s workforce coming from the program.

JBM’s Ohio site, set for completion next year, will house advanced kitting lines to handle increased orders in these areas.

Elsewhere, International Paper opened a state-of-the-art plant in Iowa earlier this year, boosting its output of fiber-based solutions for fast-moving consumer goods and online retail. 

The facility emphasizes recyclable corrugated products to comply with emerging extended producer responsibility laws in states like Maryland, which enacted such rules in May 2025.

Puthoff highlighted how these developments enable JBM to deliver faster service and hire more participants into its training scheme. 

Sheanshang echoed that the facility creates room for team expansion without disrupting local operations.

Swedish supplement maker Great Earth converted its entire line to paper closures last year, while Mondi supplied paper-based CompressWrap to furniture firm Ekornes. 

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