Haver Filling Systems broke ground last month on an expansion that will double the size of its current office and warehouse on Gees Mill Business Court.

German-based Haver is a manufacturer of industrial packing machines. The company moved to Conyers in 1989. The company already has a 10,000-square-foot building that houses corporate offices and a warehouse.

Gudrun Wulfheide, marketing coordinator for Haver, said the expansion will be built on property adjacent to the existing Conyers facility. When construction is completed in November, the expansion will add 8,000 square feet in office space and another 8,000 square feet in warehouse space.

Wulfheide said the company’s decision to expand was partly to show its commitment to its current U.S. customers and partly to attract new customers.

Haver’s expansion is part of a long-term plan by company officials to assemble machines in Conyers for delivery. Currently, filling machines are shipped directly from plants in Germany. Haver’s Conyers warehouse holds spare parts and is home to service technicians and support staff.

“The dollar value is a factor for us in expanding, and by moving toward having an assembly operation here would be a big advantage for us,” Wulfheide said. “Delivery times will be significantly shorter, and in turn, make us more competitive.”