Canadian plastics extruder Balcan buys Wisconsin manufacturing plant, reports say
Canadian Plastics
Canadian Plastics PackagingThe reports say that Quebec-based Balcan plans to manufacture polyethylene blown film and related converted products at the facility in Pleasant Prairie, Wis.
Balcan Plastics Ltd., a Quebec-based extruder of flexible packaging and technical films, is expanding into the U.S. state of Wisconsin through the purchase of a manufacturing plant in LakeView Corporate Park in the town of Pleasant Prairie, which is situated between Milwaukee and Chicago.
According to reports in Milwaukee Business Journal and Biz Times/Milwaukee Business News, an affiliate of Balcan paid $13 million to acquire the 215,000-square-foot facility. The reports quote an unnamed Pleasant Prairie official as saying that Balcan is planning an operation there with 60 employees.
The reports also say that Balcan plans to manufacture polyethylene blown film and related converted products like bags, pouches, and sheeting. Balcan would make 15 million pounds of finished product in its first full year of production at the site and scale up operations over time.
The Milwaukee Business Journal noted that Pleasant Prairie administrator Nathan Thiel issued a printed statement welcoming Balcan to the community. “The company had several options around the nation, but ultimately selected our community, which will result in manufacturing jobs and enhance the use of an existing building,” Thiel said.
Headquartered in St. Leonard, Que., Balcan makes protective packaging, shipping sacks, form fill seal packaging, shrink packaging and food packaging for a number of industries, including horticulture and agriculture, building products, wood products, home goods, food and beverage, and chemicals.
The investment in Wisconsin is the latest in a series of moves for Balcan. In February, the firm acquired Montreal-based Nelmar Group, which includes Nelmar Security Packaging Systems Inc., Plastixx Extrusion Technologies Inc., and Plastixx FFS Technologies Inc.
