Bottoms Up! Maker Of Solo Cups Plans $40 Million Expansion In Michigan

MASON (WWJ/AP) - Odds are you've had your hands on a red Solo cup before. But you may not know they are actually made in Michigan.

The company who makes the cups, Dart Container Corporation, is planning a $40 million expansion at their Lansing-area plant. The growing popularity of portable food and drinks led to the expansion, which is expected to create over 130 new jobs.

Dart President Jim Lammers tells the Lansing State Journal that the center will help it develop new products and designs. Besides the Solo cup, the company also produces foam cups as well as plastic utensils and carryout containers.

Site preparation on the two-story facility is underway and the project is expected to be complete by the end of 2018. Dart Container secured a $1 million grant from the Michigan Economic Development Corp. for the project.

Dart, which is already the world's largest maker of foam cups and containers, has 2,000 Michigan employees, among 16,000 company-wide, with over $3 billion in annual sales.

Dart Container bought Solo Cup Co. in 2012.

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