An Israel-based company is expanding into the United States with plans to manufacture ready-made plastic meal trays in Indiana.
MCP USA Inc. expects the company's North American headquarters in Portage, in northwest Indiana, will create 60 jobs by 2019, the Indiana Economic Development Corp. reports.
MCP, a subsidiary of Plazit Industries Group and Kibbutz Hamaapil, expects to spend $11.38 million on the project at a 91,000-square-foot location, including the cost of equipment.
The company will install one extrusion line and three thermoforming machines, the state said.
“With its new Indiana operations slated to launch in summer 2018, the company will produce its heat- and cold-resistant plastic meal trays for customers in the retail, airline, institutional and bakery markets across North and South America,” IEDC said in a statement.
MCP makes custom coextruded thermoplastic trays for the food industry, selling 400 million units a year around the world. MCP uses crystallized PET, amorphous PET and polypropylene. A network of 12 distributors in the United States will be supplied from the new location, the state said.
The company is receiving $600,000 in conditional tax credits from IEDC as well as up to $100,000 in job training grants. Portage also is providing additional incentives not specified by the state.
News of the plant comes following a meeting between the Indiana and company officials earlier this year in Israel, the state said.
Renovations on the building are slated to begin in early 2018. That work will include construction of office space and installation of the machinery.