Balcan Plastics Inc. (Balcan) selects Pleasant Prairie for their new location and plans to repurpose an existing 215,000 square foot building in the LakeView Corporate Park. The property was previously owned and operated by Mondi Akrosil and is generally located south of 108th Street, at 72nd Avenue. Balcan Plastics will utilize the space to manufacture polyethylene blown film and associated products such as bags, pouches, and sheeting at the location. The company intends to manufacture roughly 15 million pounds of products in their first full year and increase manufacturing in the facility over time to scale up production.
On Monday, June 14, the Pleasant Prairie Plan Commission unanimously approved Site and Operational Plans for Balcan. Most internal modifications include demolition of the components not required for Balcan's operations and creating new machine pads for modern equipment. Balcan will add four loading docks to the northwest corner of the building and construct two small buildings that connect the main building to the existing Mixing Tower on the south end of the property. Balcan will also modify the Mixing Tower for new silo storage tanks. Balcan proposes adding a rail spur from the Union Pacific Railway to feed the plant with raw material. Further additions include expanding the Mixing Tower to the west and east to install additional equipment.
"We are pleased to see Balcan Plastics invest here in Pleasant Prairie," said Village Administrator Nathan Thiel. "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."
This facility will employ 60 full-time employees working two shifts. The site currently provides 140 parking spaces and 12 dock doors. Balcan anticipates having an average of 120 automobile trips per day and an average of 6 to 8 truck trips per day. There will be no outside storage or display of products or raw materials on the site. The company plans to be operational at the location by December 21, 2021.
Balcan Plastics is a leading manufacturer of flexible packaging and technical films based in Montreal, Quebec. For over 50 years, the company's technical expertise and commitment to quality helped develop an extensive catalog of custom projects for customers across North America. The company is vertically integrated, with five primary locations across Canada and a smaller manufacturing facility in the United States.