In a Glass by Itself
Increased demand drives expansion at Saint-Gobain’s Sparta facility
Paris Hilton is not the type of socialite-turned-entrepreneur you would usually associate with rural Hancock County, Ga. Neither is Calvin Klein.
But Calvin and Paris are just two of the internationally famous brand names that have come to Saint-Gobain Desjonqueres’ state-of-the-art facility in Sparta to have their perfume, cologne and other accessory bottles decorated.
And they come for one reason: The team in Sparta is the best in the business.
“Our quality is excellent, and that is why companies like Lancóme have asked to have their work done here,” said Jean Christophe Duchamp, Saint-Gobain’s vice president of manufacturing.
Every day, the Sparta facility produces thousands of lacquered and printed bottles destined for the high-end cosmetics market where the jewel-like bottles are almost as important as the scents they contain. The bottles themselves are made at the facility’s sister plant in Covington, Ga., and shipped to Sparta where they are given frosted or colored finishes, then printed with logos and decorations. Final, detailed inspections guarantee a flawless product that is 100 percent “made in Georgia.”
Last year, the Sparta plant decorated 60 million bottles, and the company hopes to significantly increase the production capacity after completion of a new expansion, which will add advanced manufacturing equipment and 92 new jobs at the facility, which currently employs nearly 180.
“Saint-Gobain is expanding in Hancock County for one simple reason: Our clients want more,” said Duchamp. “We’re growing here because of the growth of our business in the U.S. market. As brands become successful, so does the plant in Sparta. It is the largest in the country and one of the few that decorates so many bottles for so many high-end clients.”
The company will partner with Quick Start and Sandersville Technical College to train the new employees in safety, the metric system, and other skills required to maintain the high standards the company has become famous for.
“Quick Start has worked with Saint-Gobain since the beginning,” said Jackie Rohosky, who oversees Quick Start. “We’re committed to continuing our support for the company and its employees as they achieve such remarkable success.”
The company located its plant in Sparta in 2002 after choosing Georgia in part due to the availability of Quick Start training. Today, the company attributes much of its success to its partnership with Quick Start and Sandersville Tech.
“It’s true,” said Rita Poole, Saint-Gobain’s decoration director, at the training plan signing for the new expansion. “What we have learned since [opening three years ago] is that we could not have gotten here on our own.”
“You guys have made us successful,” said Diane Feorino, head of human resources and training for Saint-Gobain. “Quick Start and Sandersville Technical College have been the lifeline along the way. We have survived because of everybody’s support.”
Lloyd Horadan, president of Sandersville Tech, said he was excited about the new opportunities available to the residents in the region. “The creation of 92 new jobs is a significant investment in the community,” Horadan said.
The training of Saint-Gobain’s workforce is critical because the company relies on equipment and procedures that require advanced skills and a sophisticated work ethic.
“We believe we can manufacture in the U.S., and we are proving that to our customers,” Duchamp said. “We operate in the high-end market using a unique technique with unique skills as our core. Our new expansion will have robotics and automated manufacturing at its base, and that will be the key to our success.”
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