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Unix Packaging plans to commence bottling operations in Morganton in July.

Pictured is equipment used at Unix Packaging.

If all goes to plan, by next month, Morganton will have a new bottling plant with more than 100 employees packaging beverages like water, carbonated drinks, energy drinks, sports drinks, teas and more for both small and national brands.

Unix Packaging will be located at 100 Ceramic Tile Drive, the site of the former Ice River Springs bottled water plant with a targeted opening date in July.

“Unix Packaging is very excited to commence operations in Morganton, North Carolina,” said Bobby Melamed, CEO of Unix Packaging.

Morganton’s Unix will be the third plant for its parent company, founded in 2010, which also operates a facility under the Unix name in Montebello, California, as well as Western Group Packaging in Las Vegas.

“We have water, purified and sparkling,” Heidi Aker, the company’s human resource manager, said.

“We’re a co-packer, so we have the capability of doing sodas, as well,” she said. “And then, we have a hot-fill line that will do energy drinks and sports drinks. We’re also going to be putting in an aluminum line which will do aluminum can drinks.”

Positions for which the company is looking to hire ahead of its first anticipated bottle run in July include machine operator, shift supervisor, shipping and receiving clerk, batch and blending operator, quality control technician, warehouse manager, maintenance technician and inventory control.

Those who are hired before June 25 are eligible for an $800 bonus if they remain employed after 90 days and have perfect attendance.

Starting pay is $15 per hour with an average hourly pay north of $17 and listed benefits include medical, vision and dental insurance, a 401(k) retirement program with a company match up to $1,500 per year, voluntary benefits and paid vacation, sick time and holiday pay.

Those employees, for whom Unix in recruiting in Morganton and surrounding areas, will be working in an extensively upgraded plant with a $55 million investment, Aker said.

“Unix Packaging is a family-owned business and we value our employees as part of that family,” Aker said. “We are looking forward to growing our Unix family within the community of Morganton by providing jobs that are close to home and earn a good wage. We hope to continue to grow our partnerships with Morganton and the entire Burke County community for years to come.”

The company says it picked Morganton because of its logistical location to expand its services to the east coast, but also for family-oriented and community values that match its own.

“We take great pride in our facilities and Morganton is no exception,” the company said in a release. “We are installing state-of-the-art beverage manufacturing and packaging equipment in order to provide the highest quality product produced in the most efficient way possible.”

Added plant manager Ty Harrison: “Unix Packaging and Morganton are similar in several ways. Unix is a family-oriented, people-first company just like the community of Morganton. Morganton is a place where people can expect to be safe and earn a good living, just like working at Unix. Relationships of both parties makes for an amazing partnership that will ensure whatever the future holds.”

Justin Epley is a staff writer for The News Herald. He can be reached at jepley@morganton.com.

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Unix Packaging plans to commence bottling operations in Morganton in July.

Pictured is equipment used at Unix Packaging.

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