Pregis LLC is raising the roof, literally, and adding 50 jobs as part of a $17 million expansion project in Grand Rapids, Mich.
Deerfield, Ill.-based Pregis purchased the site, which has been known as Eagle Film Extruders, last year. The facility makes mono- and multilayer blown film for packaging.
The Grand Rapids site now covers 90,000 square feet and includes four multilayer blown film extrusion lines, the company said.
Plans are to raise the roof to allow installation of a new five-layer Windmoeller & Hoelscher blown film line. Pregis expects that new line to be running this summer.
“We are seeing demand from industrial, e-commerce and other segments — such as flexible packaging — requiring higher quality materials. Investing in this facility will help us meet market segment expectations for package performance and provide vertical integration for some of Pregis' other products,” said Kevin Baudhuin, president and chief executive officer, in a statement.
Pregis also will install “converting and ancillary equipment” to produce flexible packaging at a separate 70,000-square-foot facility. The company also is spending some of the cash for storage silos and resin handling.
The Grand Rapids location, which will now do business as Pregis Films, expects to add 50 jobs to its current staff of 80 once all of the equipment is running, the company said.
