STERLING TOWNSHIP, PA — SALAET, a Spanish company dedicated to sustainable food packaging, has chosen Wayne County as its U.S. headquarters with the purchase of a lot in the Sterling Business and Technology Park.

SALAET looked at sites for two years before deciding on the 33,500-square-foot building it will occupy in Sterling. The Wayne Economic Development Corporation (WEDCO), which owns and operates the Sterling Business and Technology Park, said that with SALAET coming to the county, the region is poised to benefit from new job opportunities, economic investment and a stronger foothold in the sustianable manufacturing sector.

"Public-private partnerships like these are what drive progress, and we can't wait to see the positive impact SALAET will have on Wayne County and beyond," said Justin Taylor, WEDCO Executive Director.

SALAET was founded in 1965 by Lorenzo Salaet Salvadó who began manufacturing baking cups, which remains a "star product" of the company today. According to the company website, "Our commitment to the environment involves the manufacture of sustainable packaging systems promoting the reduction of raw materials, waste, and CO2 emissions in all our business initiatives."

"Almost all" of the products SALAET produces are recyclable, biodegradable or compostable. Sixty percent of its energy consumption comes from solar, according to its website.

"We carefully select our suppliers and carefully evaluate raw materials. With this, we guarantee our customers certified quality products though strict internal controls, reaching the best food safety standards," the company site reads. "In addition, we have a long experience in manufacturing laminates, barrier coatings, corrugated paperboard, wax coatings, et cetera, which allows us to adapt to the changing needs of the market."

WEDCO congratulated all those who played a part in making the deal happen, especially:

• WEDCO former executive director Mary Beth Wood
• WEDCO Marketing and Project Manager Troy Bystrom
• The WEDCO Board of Directors
• Cindy Hostetler, with the Pennsylvania Office of International Business Development
• John Augustine, with Penn's Northeast Inc.
• The Wayne County Commissioners Brian Smith, Jocelyn Cramer and Jim Shook
• The Sterling Township Supervisors
• The Dime Bank
• The Wayne Bank
• Rutledge Excavating, Inc.
• The Wayne Pike Workforce Alliance
• Alfred Howell, ESQ