A paper products company is expanding its plant in Shenandoah County, in what state officials called Virginia's largest-ever investment by a Chinese-owned manufacturer. Mercury Paper Inc. which makes tissue and paper towels will invest $21.2 million to expand its existing plant in Shenandoah County and relocate its North American headquarters to the site, creating 150 jobs, Gov. Bob McDonnell's office announced yesterday.
Mercury Paper's parent company, Sinar Mas Group, is a conglomerate headquartered in Shanghai, China, with businesses in paper products, real estate development, agribusiness and financial services.
The company's current North American headquarters is in Santa Fe Springs, Calif., near Los Angeles, a spokeswoman for the Virginia Economic Development Partnership said. She said Mercury Paper has started hiring for some of the Virginia jobs, but she could not say how many would be relocated from California. (Source: Richmond Times-Despatch, Mar 19, 2010).