NANTRenewables to Build New Bioplastics Manufacturing Plant at SeaPoint Industrial Terminal Complex in Savannah

Staff Report

Thursday, September 9th, 2021

Dulany Industries, Inc. announced today that SeaPoint Industrial Terminal Complex – an innovative industrial park with direct deepwater access on the main shipping channel in Savannah, Ga. – will welcome NANTRenewables as a new tenant.

NANTRenewables, a manufacturer of a variety of renewable biobased products, will invest up to $29 million to build a new bioplastics manufacturing plant on an 8.5-acre, rail-served parcel at the SeaPoint Complex. This new facility will focus production on NANTRenewables’ biogenic fillers and biodegradable resins, which not only replace hydrocarbon resins but also significantly reduce the carbon footprints associated with mining and processing. 

“We selected SeaPoint for our new biogenic fillers and bioplastics manufacturing facility because of our shared values focused on sustainability as well as the site’s development-ready network of infrastructure, including roads, rail access, sea access and nearby utility connections at this impressive industrial complex,” said Harold Meherg, a senior executive at NANTRenewables. “We look forward to building our newest plant in Savannah.” 

NANTRenewables will manufacture unique biogenic renewable mineral plastic enhancers designed to improve performance, reduce cost and minimize the overall carbon footprint of finished products. This unique biogenic mineral is a renewable, sustainable and self-generating resource. The valued-added products produced at NANTRenewables will greatly benefit the environment by being 100% compostable and reducing the overall carbon footprint of traditional plastics.

“We’re thrilled to welcome NANTRenewables to the growing list of manufacturing companies choosing to establish operations at the SeaPoint Complex,” said Reed Dulany, CEO of Dulany Industries, Inc., the parent company of SeaPoint Industrial Terminal Complex. “NANTRenewables fits our overall vision for the SeaPoint Complex, where state-of-the-art manufacturing and logistics thrive in an innovative industrial environment that values sustainability.” 

NANTRenewables’ sustainable manufacturing plant is expected to create 134 new high-wage jobs in Savannah. The company is a subsidiary of NantWorks, which is owned by internationally-acclaimed biotech entrepreneur Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, best known for his invention of the cancer-fighting drug Abraxane and his ownership of the Los Angeles Times.

“This announcement is great news for Chatham County,” said Chatham County Commission Chairman Chester Ellis. “We welcome NANTRenewables to Savannah and look forward to seeing the many positive impacts of this new bioplastics manufacturing facility, from adding high-wage jobs to producing local sustainably-made products.” 

SeaPoint Terminal Industrial Complex recently received authorization from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to construct a new private marine terminal along a one-mile embankment in the Port of Savannah, the third fastest-growing port in the nation. The berth, located on the main shipping channel at 47-foot depth, will support manufacturing operations like NANTRenewables, allowing companies to reduce or eliminate drayage by utilizing all modes of transportation, including vessels.

NANTRenewables’ location decision as well as federal approval for a deepwater berth are important milestones in SeaPoint’s revitalization of the former Tronox/Kerr McGee Savannah site into a deepwater, multi-tenant complex. With more than 600 acres of land for development, a mile of deepwater access, existing rail, utilities, and office buildings in a federal Opportunity Zone, SeaPoint Industrial Terminal Complex is transforming this once fallow industrial site into a major long-term economic driver for Chatham County and the state of Georgia. 

According to a University of Georgia study, SeaPoint will create 1,700+ new high-wage jobs in a federal Opportunity Zone in Savannah, Ga., and generate an estimated annual economic impact of nearly $1 billion.