East Brunswick, N.J.-based Bluestar Silicones USA Corp. — a manufacturer of specialty silicone products including coatings, elastomers, fluids, emulsions and resins for the textile coatings, personal care, healthcare, paper and packaging, automotive, aerospace, tire and rubber, mold making and energy industries, among others; and the North American division of France-based Bluestar Silicones — will open a manufacturing and research and development facility in York, S.C., adding 60 jobs in the process. The company will relocate operations and equipment at its Ventura, Calif., and Rock Hill, S.C., facilities to a recently acquired 226,000-square-foot building in York, and plans to purchase new pilot equipment.

Earlier this year, Bluestar Silicones had announced its intent to purchase a site in Charlotte, but after exploring its options, the company decided the York property was better suited to the company's needs, offered significant space for long-term growth and could be easily retrofitted.

"The property acquisition is an important step forward in the execution of our strategic plan for North America," said J. Christopher York, president, Bluestar Silicones USA. "This new site offers us a sizable footprint to expand our manufacturing workshops, to increase our laboratory capabilities and to improve product stewardship in existing specialty markets. It also allows us to add new competencies to broaden our product portfolio for market penetration. It is an exciting time for Bluestar Silicones and the customers we serve."

The company will begin the consolidation in November and expects to have the York site fully transitioned by mid-2012.

October 18, 2011