RANKIN COUNTY, Miss. (From news reports) -- International Paper broke ground Wednesday on a $225 million packaging facility in Brandon, Mississippi, marking a significant economic investment in Rankin County.

The new facility, located off Metro Parkway, will replace the company's older Richland plant and is expected to create nearly 150 jobs.

Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves emphasized the importance of such projects for the state's economic growth.

"The reason we were able to significantly reduce the income tax in the state of Mississippi is because of days like today, because of the capital investments that are happening in our state," Reeves said. "The growing economy allows for everyone else to have to share a little less of the burden."

International Paper is a global manufacturer of cardboard, paper, and sustainable packaging products used by e-commerce and food companies. The company also produces recycled paper products.

Brandon Mayor Butch Lee said years of infrastructure upgrades helped attract the development.

"For a city like Brandon, it's about to be 200 years old," Lee said. "A lot of our infrastructure, water, sewer, streets were in, for lack of a better word, decay. And we've been aggressively working to upgrade our systems."

Lee also said additional businesses are expected to move into the area in the near future, though no official announcements have been made.

Keith Townsend, Group Vice President of International Paper North America, said the new Brandon facility represents a modernization effort for the company and will expand the company's packaging capabilities across the region.

"It'll replace the facility that we have nearby and it'll be a much larger facility than the prior facility," Townsend said. "So, it's a complete modernization of our operation."

The company said the project is expected to be completed by late 2027.