Water-soluble film maker Ecopol SpA is expanding into the United States with a $38 million plant in Griffin, Ga.
Ecopol, based in Pistoia, Italy, will create 130 jobs at the new location that will make polyvinyl alcohol in Spalding County, according to the Georgia governor's office.
Ecopol will construct a new manufacturing site at the Lakes at Green Valley eco-industrial park, a development area that requires all projects to pass standards created by the Griffin-Spalding Development Authority for environmentally sustainable construction.
"Environmental sustainability was a key objective in the development of the Lakes at Green Valley," Chuck Copeland, chair of the authority, said in a statement.
The company looked throughout the Southeast before deciding to locate at Griffin, CEO Mauro Carbone said in a statement.
"Our goal was to identify a suitable property with nearby interstate and international airport access, a favorable utility environment, a talented regional labor force and an economic development team that would be supportive of this strategic project now and in the future," Carbone said.
Use of water-soluble films has grown significantly in recent years, driven by the popularity of single-dose detergent pods.
But the company's PVA, also known as PVOH, also has applications in agrochemicals, cosmetics, water treatment chemicals and bags, Ecopol said.
"Ecopol is an exciting addition to Georgia's community of innovative companies dedicated to keeping unnecessary waste out of landfills, waterways and the ocean using sustainable technology and solutions," Commissioner Pat Wilson of Georgia Department of Economic Development said in a statement.
The new jobs will include production, maintenance, management and administration positions.