WEIRTON, W.Va. — A manufacturing company based in Bologna, Italy has chosen West Virginia for its first U.S.-based plant.
Gruppo Fanti, also known as Fanti Group, will build a $30 million metal packaging plant in Weirton, creating 40 full-time jobs.
State Commerce Secretary Ed Gaunch said West Virginia beat out Pennsylvania and Ohio which made offers for the operation.
“I’m particularly proud of our pro-business climate here in West Virginia, I think this is evidence of it, our manufacturing base and for sure our incredible workforce which has allowed us to prevail in the end for this project,” Gaunch said.
Fanti visited West Virginia in 2019. It plans to modify an existing production site in Weirton and begin production by mid-2022.
The announcement was made Wednesday afternoon in a video conference. Fanti Packaging Chairman Stefano Fanti appeared from Italy. He talked about how his father started the business in 1948. He said his father visited the U.S. in the 1970s. Fanti said he was pleased to now be able to realize his father’s dream of expansion.
“Thank you very much for the welcome and introduce our company that bears my name to the United States, particularly in West Virginia,” Fanti said.
The Fanti Group manufactures more than 100 million metal cans a year. It has production locations in Europe, Russia and Africa.
State Senator Ryan Weld, R-Brooke, said the announcement is more proof that Weirton is on the comeback trail.
“Weirton has a long history with manufacturing. The loss of Weirton Steel was obviously a huge blow to the area but since then Weirton has been adding bricks to the wall to Weirton’s comeback and Weirton’s future,” Weld said.
Gov. Jim Justice called the ability to attract Fanti a “giant team effort.”
“This is so meaningful to our state and we want to make this your home in the United States and be able to grow with you and help you in every possible way we can,” Justice said.
“Fanti USA will be the largest expansion in the history of the Fanti Group,” Nicola De Santis – CFO, M&A, Business Development, Board Member of Fanti Group said in a news release from the governor’s office. “In West Virginia, we found the right place to expand. We studied the market, the supply chain, and the potential locations intensively. We traveled extensively before the COVID limitations and met a lot of people across the United States. Here in West Virginia we plan to initially create 20 jobs and to grow to 40-50 jobs after 3-4 years. One of the main reasons we have chosen West Virginia is because of the great support from the Governor’s Office and the West Virginia Development Office. Their great assistance to develop our project made our decision easy.”