Swedish compounder Polykemi Group has opened its first U.S. production plant, in Gastonia, N.C.
In a news release, officials with Polykemi Inc. — the firm's U.S. operating unit — said that the new plant "is [Polykemi's] largest single investment ever, and interest from the U.S. market is very high."
They added that Polykemi has been represented in the U.S. since 2013. The new plant "lays the foundation for Polykemi Group to grow further on the North American continent," Polykemi Inc. CEO Johan Hugoson said. "It's great that the time has come to really start up operations."
Polykemi has invested around $19 million in the new facility, which will employ around 20 in its first year. The firm will launch operations with about 14 million pounds of annual production capacity on two twin-extrusion lines. The site has room for immediate expansion.
Officials said that Polykemi now will produce the same compounds in North America that it currently supplies in Asia and Europe. "We guarantee customers the same high quality of customized plastic compounds based on both virgin and recycled plastic raw materials delivered from all of our global factories," Hugoson said.
Polykemi, based in Ystad, makes compounds based on a wide range of resins for the automotive, furniture and household industries. The firm has existing plants in Sweden and China.
Polykemi received a performance-based grant of $50,000 from the One North Carolina Fund to support the new plant. The fund provides financial assistance to local governments to help attract economic investment and to create jobs.