International Mulch Company, a global leader in 100 percent recycled rubber products for landscaping and playground applications, opened its fourth manufacturing and distribution facility in Suwannee County, Florida. The expansion will add more than 15 jobs with a $700,000 capital investment in the region.

The 80,000 square foot plant, located in Live Oak, will serve as a Southeast manufacturing and distribution center for DIY and mass merchant retailers. In addition, this new facility will allow IMC to expand its presence for the commercial sales team that services parks and recreation departments, schools, municipalities and government agencies.

“Our company has been looking to expand to this area of the country for a number of years, and after a sustained search throughout the region, and with the assistance of Enterprise Florida, we knew that the most strategic location for our next facility was Suwannee County,” says Tim Miller, COO for IMC. “Transportation lines are ideal to serve our major retail partners in addition to lowering shipping costs to municipalities, schools and residential customers throughout the region.”

“It is always a great feeling when we can give a once discarded product a useful second life and help an area recycle on a scale that was previously unknown,” says Cindy Miller, CEO of International Mulch Company. “Since our family-owned and operated company was founded fifteen years ago we have recycled nearly 450,000,000 pounds of rubber into our ever-growing line of 100% recycled rubber products.”

With this new location, IMC now operates manufacturing and distribution centers in four states, including Florida. The project will further benefit the state as IMC will source all raw materials from Florida. Nearly 750,000 tires previously destined for landfills will be recycled into more than 12 million pounds of products.

This project was made possible with the help of close partnerships between the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, Suwannee County and Enterprise Florida.

Florida Department of Economic Opportunity Executive Director Jesse Panuccio said, “The manufacturing sector in Florida ranks among the top ten in the nation, and the addition of the International Mulch Company manufacturing and distribution center further bolsters the state’s industry. The Suwannee County facility will provide at least 15 Floridians with jobs over the next two years and shows why Florida’s manufacturing friendly policies help make the Sunshine State the perfect climate for business.”

Dr. Alvin B. Jackson, Jr., Economic Development Director of Suwannee County said, “We are excited about International Mulch becoming a part of the Suwannee County community. As Florida’s New Frontier for welcoming new businesses to Florida, our unique highway interchange system will be a major asset for IMC. The Suwannee County Commission and the residents of Suwannee County not only applaud International Mulch for creating sustainable jobs, but for its environmental mission of recycling discarded rubber tires for usable products.”