Chicopee Pacific Packaging Co. Sets Major Facilities Expansion

Pacific Packaging Products Inc., a family business specializing in developing and distributing all types of packaging materials, is expanding its Chicopee location by roughly one-third. The company has received approval to build a 31,470-square-foot addition and add two loading docks to the building. The expansion is a result of the company’s good business performance, and company CEO David Varsano expects to add significantly to its workforce.

In operation for more than 70 years and headquartered in Wilmington, Massachusetts, Chicopee Pacific Packaging Co. also has two satellite locations in Chicopee and Woburn. Varsano says the main facility is highly automated, and the expansion will make operations even more efficient and allow trucks to be loaded faster.

The Planning Board unanimously approved the plans in a 4-0 vote. Members waived the need for a preliminary site plan review because of the expansion’s addition to an existing structure instead of an entirely new building. The plans meet all zoning requirements, and the existing parking lot is large enough to accommodate the expansion without changes. The company is also adding a new stormwater system to meet city requirements.

The addition calls for several trees to be removed, prompting city officials to request they be replaced with a variety of evergreens to create a buffer for the neighboring Celia Street. Varsano says they’ll gladly comply with the request.

Several residents who live across the street aired concerns about the additional trucks that the expansion will bring. They said the condition of the nearby street is already poor, and the truck traffic to multiple businesses in the nearby industrial park creates a lot of noise in their neighborhood.

Planning Board Chair Michael Sarnelli explained the board could do little about the condition of the road and said the business met all the zoning requirements.

Varsano says he expects truck traffic to his business to increase by about 10%. “We are a packaging company that is business to business,” he said. “Things are going out in relatively large quantities.”

Overall, the expansion of Pacific Packaging Products Inc. is good news for Chicopee. The addition of jobs and increased business activity will benefit the city’s economy. The company’s compliance with zoning requirements and agreement to replace trees shows their commitment to being good neighbors. The concerns raised by residents are understandable, but with proper management, the impact of increased truck traffic can be minimized.