SANDERS BUILDS PLASTIC RECYCLING PLANT

Construction continues on a building that will house Sanders Enterprises Inc., a plastics recycling center on Nash Road.

"The building is going up," said Harry Sanders, president of the new firm. "Hopefully it will be ready soon. That's all we're waiting on; we have our equipment in storage here and hope to be in operation by March 1."

Sanders said the operation will initially employ 30 people.

Sanders, who until earlier this year was manager of Mildenberger & Willing Packaging U.S. Inc., is president of the new company. He is a native of Belgium and a graduate of the European Technical University of Ghent. Sanders, who joined M&W in 1988 as an assistant to the owner, opened its plant north of Cape Girardeau.

Sanders' new company has applied for a Community Development Block Grant, a grant designed to help new industry. The Cape Girardeau County Commission has formally approved the application.

Cape County Presiding Commissioner Gene Huckstep said he was pleased the commission could play a part in bringing new industry to the area.

The commission dealt with Sanders in the past at M&W and has had a very good relationship with him, said Huckstep. The commission was active in establishing a tax increment financing district with M&W as that firm prepared to move into the county.

The application requests $260,000. The funds are available through the Missouri Department of Economic Development to expand economic opportunities.

Early in his career Sanders was a service technician for Food Machine Corp. He soon became responsible for all turn-key FMC projects in eastern Europe. He went into the flexible packaging field and machine equipment prior to joining M&W.