Film-extruder and flexible-packaging converter Balcan Innovations hosted a groundbreaking ceremony July 8 to mark the start of construction for its building expansion tied to a recently-announced $200-million commitment to boost capacity at its Pleasant Prairie (WI) facility.

Balcan is a North American manufacturer of polyethylene films, flexible packaging, and reflective insulation used for a wide range of industrial applications. The Pleasant Prairie facility began operations in 2021 and is focused on producing film and packaging for its Flexible Packaging division and its three core brands: Balcan Packaging, Plastixx, and NELMAR.

Balcan currently employs 103 personnel in the Pleasant Prairie region and its latest expansion and machinery acquisitions will lead to the creation of 87 new jobs over the next three years.

The upcoming expansion represents 15,250 sq ft of added space, increasing the building footprint to 185,250 sq ft. The multi-level building expansion will initially house nine new film-extrusion lines. The addition will reach 100 ft high to accommodate the company’s largest incoming lines capable of producing up to 50-ft layflat films – reportedly some of the largest film sizes available in North America.

The expansion is set to be completed in February 2026 with numerous new manufacturing lines and infrastructure projects following suit, including:

• The construction of a rail spur to connect with the Union Pacific Railroad mainline, allowing Balcan Innovations to receive raw materials by rail;
• An investment in recycling equipment to maximize their consumption of post-industrial and post-consumer recycled waste as part of our sustainability program;
• And an investment of new technology and automation to fully feed all ingredients from storage vessels directly to extrusion lines without the need for any manual connections change.