Shorewood Packaging, a business of International Paper, has enhanced its rigid box capabilities by transitioning its set-up box manufacturing from Waterbury, Conn., to its Thorofare, N.J., display and fulfillment operation.

Back in July, IP reported that Shorewood Packaging would close its Waterbury, Conn., plant by the end of 2007. The move would affect about 100 Connecticut employees.

 “We are excited to continue the tradition of fine rigid packaging that our Waterbury team delivered over the years, yet at the same time offer additional value, flexibility and services — from design concept through set-up box manufacturing to fulfillment and contract packaging,” said Robert Anstine, Shorewood’s vice president of marketing and business development.

The Thorofare location is also home to Shorewood Display, which currently produces temporary, semi-permanent and permanent displays for customers in the home entertainment, cosmetics, personal care, pharmaceutical and other consumer goods markets. This state of the art, 400,000-sq-ft facility also features a fully integrated fulfillment operation that provides custom packaging and collating, shrink wrapping and contract packaging in a secure, temperature-controlled environment.

Several key members of the Waterbury team have transferred to the new operation. Production of rigid boxes at the new location will begin Dec. 17, while the manufacture of thermoformed trays will be outsourced until the third quarter of 2008.