Tosca, a provider of reusable packaging and supply chain solutions, is one of many companies making Hazleton a “hub” for their business. The company recently expanded the size of its facility in the Humboldt Industrial Park in order to support significant growth and to increase the facilities’ capabilities.
Tosca, which moved into the Humboldt Industrial Park in 2002, previously operated in a 25,000-square-foot service center. Now after an expansion to a 50,000-square-foot facility, doubling the site’s size and capabilities, Tosca plans on building the business further and leveraging the business infrastructure in Hazleton to get it done.
“The service center expansion not only adds more square footage for the business but enables the company to operate more efficiently,” Mike Wasson, Vice President of Supply Chain and Operations for Tosca, said. “The organization took the time during the expansion to reconfigure the floorplan layout for optimum performance, re-tool machines for faster turnaround time, add new dryers, and implement new automation capabilities. The company also continues to add new jobs in both management and maintenance at the Hazleton location.”
Perhaps most importantly, the expansion allows the service center to increase operations, with the facility now operating a 24-hour/5-days a week schedule, giving the organization the ability to continue to grow business in this area of the country.
“We originally chose the Humboldt Industrial Park because of its proximity to our largest customer in the area,” Wasson said. “Being so close to our customer allowed for a very efficient supply chain, but we didn’t count on the additional benefits we’ve received from being in Northeastern Pennsylvania.”
Wasson cites the quick access to the Interstate 81 for easy transportation to and from the service center and the hardworking people of Hazleton as additional benefits to conducting business in the area. Wasson also notes, “Being at a strategic access point in Pennsylvania allows our reusable plastic containers to flow to our customers and back to our Hazleton facility faster and easier, creating a more streamlined business process for us.”
CAN DO President and CEO Kevin O’Donnell said Tosca has been a valuable tenant for the Humboldt Industrial Park. “I am elated to see the success that Tosca is having in the Humboldt Industrial Park. They are a very valuable tenant and their partnership with another company in the park is another one of the great assets that our park provides. The proximity to other top national and international companies as well as major transportation routes that we provide our tenants has proved to be a very valuable asset to many businesses,” O’Donnell said.
Tosca makes good on its mission to eliminate corrugated from the supply chain primarily by leasing reusable plastic containers (RPCs) to retailers, growers, and suppliers for the transport of perishable grocery items such as eggs, produce, and case-ready meat.
Tosca’s Hazleton service center mainly handles the washing and drying of case-ready meat containers, and supports the widest variety of functions of all their fourteen nation-wide locations. Preparing the containers for reuse is a thorough endeavor, with Tosca adhering to the strictest ISO 22000 food safety certification standards. After an extensive cleaning process, containers are ready for reuse and shipped to suppliers for packaging their product.
