LEBANON, Indiana (From news reports) -- A corrugated box manufacturing plant officially opens Friday in Boone County.

DS Smith, a London-based producer of corrugated packaging, has built a 550,000 square-foot facility in Lebanon that will eventually bring 170 new jobs to the area in engineering, machinery, production, sales and management.

"We're absolutely delighted to have selected Lebanon for a spot for a new state-of-the-art facility," said DS Smith CEO Miles Roberts. "We looked at a number of states and locations but it became very apparent to us that Lebanon, Indiana was in a great position."

With its proximity to Interstate 65, Boone County has been attracting many new manufacturing and logistics facilities in recent years.

"We've got a great access to good skilled, hard-working people that are available, and it's a very pro-business state," Roberts said. " All in all it was a pretty easy decision."

Over the next year, DS Smith plans to bring the plant up to full production. Workers are being recruited now.

According to the company, the plant will produce lightweight recyclable packaging, enough in one day to overlay the entire Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The facility can produce 30,000 boxes and hour.