Graham Packaging - Bowling Green, KY

Started in 1970 with a simple motor oil container, Graham Packaging Company today is a global manufacturer and designer of blow-molded plastic containers, whose stability, innovation and customizable services attract Fortune 500 firms and small independent businesses alike.

The opportunity to expand its footprint in Kentucky came to fruition when Sun Products, a leading manufacturer and marketer of fabric and dish care products, enlisted Graham Packaging to manufacture blow-molded plastic containers exclusively to Sun Products. Pleased with its experience with Becknell at its Casa Grande, Arizona facility, Graham Packaging looked to Becknell for a real estate solution.

Located in South Central Kentucky Industrial Park, this 245,000-square-foot rail served facility operates five injection molding lines with output exceeding 64 million liquid laundry containers of varying sizes each year. Graham Packaging’s unique building requirements included:

• +/- 10,000 SF of office area

• Over 5,000 Amps of Power

• LED Lighting throughout (Production, Warehouse, Office and Exterior)

• 2 resin silos (rail served) and 2 cooling towers

• Temperature controlled production area (90,000 SF)

• Engineered future expansion of 125,000 SF

Bowling Green’s landscape includes a great deal of limestone bedrock that is susceptible to soil erosion, which can lead to sinkholes. Prior to construction, Becknell engineers performed traditional geotechnical exploration (borings) and conducted geophysical mapping of the site using electrical resistivity testing. Ten sinkholes were located on the property, all of which were remediated during the site work portion of the project. Despite these extremely difficult site conditions, the project was delivered on time and on budget. In fact, Becknell completed the building in less than 6.5 months.

“From conceptual estimating and design, to permitting and construction, Becknell Industrial provided consistent progress communications and met our aggressive milestones. Their dedicated team of professionals exhibited a commitment to quality and service which delivered our organization a first class manufacturing facility. Proud to be associated with this construction project and look forward to future projects with Becknell”

Eric Gerhardt, Project Engineering Manager

Graham Packaging Company