A newly opened, 1.1 million-square-foot box manufacturing plant in Cedar Hill is using recycling to help fight climate change—and bringing 375 well-paying “green-collar” jobs to the North Texas economy.

Anthony Pratt speaking at the Cedar Hill factory opening. [Video still: Pratt]

Pratt Industries opened the $253 million Cedar Hill Corrugating and Innovation Center—an advanced-manufacturing box factory—on June 27th. The Georgia-based 100% recycled paper and packaging company says the new plant is one of the “largest and most modern” of its 71 factories spread across 25 U.S. states.

“We’re very honored to be in Cedar Hill and we’re committed to the great state of Texas—in fact, this is our fifth box factory here,” Anthony Pratt, executive chairman of Pratt Industries, said in a statement.

In a ceremony opening the Cedar Hill factory, Pratt said the site’s 375 jobs will offer an average wage of “almost $100,000 per person,” bringing Pratt’s total Texas workforce to over 1,000 employees out of a U.S.-wide workforce of 11,500. The Cedar Hill investment brings Pratt’s total Texas factory investments to date to $550 million, the company said, part of its nationwide investment of $10.2 billion. 

Leveraging recycling as a weapon against climate change

The Cedar Hill factory will divert waste that would normally go to landfills and turn it into 100% recycled cardboard boxes. The factory will use this to produce retail specialty products as well as corrugated boxes and in-store displays for some of America’s leading companies, the company said.

“Recycling is an important weapon against climate change, because as things decay in landfill they emit methane which is 84 times more potent as a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide,” Pratt noted at the opening. “So recycling is an important weapon against climate change.”

Congress members joined Pratt at factory opening

U.S. House Representatives Jasmine Crockett and Marc Veasey were on hand June 27th at the opening of the Cedar Hill factory. Pratt thanked them for their “strong leadership in Washington and laser focus on bringing green jobs to Texas.”

Sponsoring a Cedar Hill training and development program

In addition to bringing 375 new jobs to Cedar Hill, Pratt Industries said it will also sponsor a training and development program in collaboration with the city and school district.

“This factory will allow the company to grow for years to come, supporting our customers, employees, and the community,” Pratt said.

Last year Pratt Industries pledged to invest $5 billion in American recycling and clean energy infrastructure over the next decade.

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