Lipton to expand in Suffolk

SUFFOLK, Va. (WAVY) - Lipton Tea will be expanding and upgrading in Suffolk, Gov. Bob McDonnell announced Monday.

One of the world’s largest consumer goods companies, Unilever, will invest $96.2 million in the project. The investment will enable facility upgrades and new production machinery, a press release from the governor’s office said.

Suffolk holds the largest tea processing facility in the United States, which has operated for more than 58 years. Gov. McDonnell said Virginia successfully competed against Kentucky, North Carolina and South Carolina for the project.

“An investment of this caliber secures the future viability of Unilever’s Lipton plant in Suffolk, which has been in operation since 1955 and produces nearly all of the Lipton tea bags sold throughout North America,” McDonnell said. “As the largest tea production facility in the U.S., this operation is crucial to the prosperity of the company and employs nearly 300 in Hampton Roads. This expansion and machinery upgrade ensures the continued success of the Lipton plant for years to come and is a major win for Virginia and Suffolk.”

Suffolk Mayor Linda Johnson told WAVY.com she was excited about what the investment could bring to the city.

"This is huge for Suffolk," Johnson said. "It's also important for downtown development and what we're trying to do here. This is an anchor and it's so solid and we know it's always going to be good for us."

McDonnell’s office said the Suffolk plant was one of Unilever’s first factories to achieve zero-to-landfill in the U.S . It was also a pilot site to implement LED lighting, cutting back on electricity.