The parent company of Lawrence’s PackerWare Corp. announced Thursday that it is reviewing its corporate strategy, but said its 400-employee plant in Lawrence is a key part of the company’s future.

Ira Boots, president and CEO of Berry Plastics, said the company’s board of directors this week authorized him to begin seeking “potential strategic transactions” to maximize shareholder value.

Boots said that may mean the company will be looking at both adding new facilities to its operations or selling off parts of its existing business. But he spoke highly of the Lawrence plant, 2330 Packer Road.

“We are very pleased with our Lawrence facility and certainly intend to grow that end of our product line at that plant for years to come,” Boots said.

The Lawrence plant manufactures drink cups, housewares and lawn and garden equipment. Berry Plastics bought the Lawrence plant in the mid ’90s, in large part to gain a foothold in the housewares market. Boots said the company has been pleased with the results.

“We’re still absolutely positive about our entry into the housewares market,” Boots said.

“We’re now the market leader in seasonal housewares and in the injection molding drink cup market, and the Lawrence facility is the lead manufacturing plant for both of those lines.”

The Evansville Ind.-based company on Thursday also released its annual sales figures for 2001. Boots said the company reported its strongest numbers yet, posting sales at $462 million, up from $408 million in 2000.

“We’ve had a wonderful year, and we just want to keep expanding on that,” Boots said. “That’s one of the reasons why we think now is a good time to take a look at our options. We have been working with our existing financial package for more than six years.”

The company, which is owned by several Wall Street heavyweights such as First Atlantic Capital, J.P. Morgan Partners and Aetna Life Insurance, is expected to review its options for several months, Boots said.