(Washington, DC) - Sixth District Congressman James E. Clyburn announced Tuesday that SOPAKCO Packaging in Mullins, SC, has received a $35 million contract extension to provide Meals Ready-to-Eat (MREs) for the military.

The award, which will be paid out over the course of four months, will be used to manufacture 809,000 cases of MREs. “Our government contracting for sustenance of the military is obviously increasing recently,” SOPAKCO President Lonnie Thompson said, referring to the increasing number of troops being called up for active duty.           

The award will also create about 200 new jobs for the Marion County assembly plant and about 50 new jobs at the processing plant in Marlboro County, Thompson said. The new jobs are good news for the two counties, which are currently plagued by soaring unemployment rates. “This award is a welcomed addition as assistance to the considerably difficult job market in that part of our state,” Congressman Clyburn said. “I hope other companies will be encouraged by the success of SOPAKCO and look to this region for job creation opportunities in the near future.”           

Marion and Marlboro counties have the state’s second and third highest unemployment rates at 14 and 13.4 percent, respectively.

The Defense Logistics Agency provided the award after SOPAKCO competed for it as an extension to its already active military contracts.

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