PETOSKEY, MICH. (Dec. 19, 12:10 p.m. ET) — Recycler and film extruder Petoskey Plastics is launching a $16 million expansion across all three of its facilities, located in Hartford City, Ind.; Morristown, Tenn.; and Petoskey, Mich.
The majority of that investment will be at Petoskey’s Hartford City recycling facility. The company plans to add several blown film lines that will enable the plant to both process post-consumer plastic material and manufacture products made from that material, according to a news release from the Indiana Business Council.
When Petoskey completes the expansion – slated for April – the facility will make “highly cost-effective bags and film made with the lowest carbon footprint in North America,” Petoskey President Paul Keiswetter said in the release.
Company officials did not immediately return calls seeking comment.
Petoskey opened its 300,000 square-foot Hartford City facility in 2007. In 2011, the company spent $3 million to increase the plant’s capacity. It reprocessed more than 30 million pounds of post-consumer plastic last year.
The company plans to add 30 jobs at the location, but is having trouble finding applicants to fill the positions, according to the release.
Most of the new jobs are hourly manufacturing positions where employees will work 12-hour shifts and be required to have a high school diploma. Petoskey offers good wages and benefits, said Kristin Clark, human resources director, in the release.
The Petoskey-based company makes blown plastic bags and films for the automotive, food, retail, packaging and construction markets. It had total sales of about $100 million in 2011, according to the annual Plastics News survey of the industry.
