KALAMAZOO, Mich. – Fabri-Kal Corporation announced the development of a new manufacturing facility in Burley, Idaho – an effort to expand the Fabri-Kal existing product offering and introduce a new, sustainable material. The facility will break ground March 30, 2015 and be fully operational in fall 2015.
“We appreciate Fabri-Kal’s investment in our state, including the future career opportunities it will create for Idaho families in the Magic Valley,” said Idaho Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter. “On behalf of the state of Idaho, Cassia County, and City of Burley, we look forward to being a partner in helping the company achieve success for many years to come.”
The $50 million project will result in a new 100,000-square-foot design and manufacturing facility. The facility will expand Fabri-Kal’s footprint in plastics thermoforming and house initiatives to add to the existing Greenware product line using a new plant-based fiber material.
“Development of the new manufacturing facility in Idaho is a strategic effort that supports Fabri-Kal’s growth plans, continued focus on innovation and providing solutions to our customers and partners,” said Mike Roeder, president and chief operating officer at Fabri-Kal.
“We are excited to expand our plastic thermoforming footprint west of the Rockies while growing our material offering at the same time,” said Chuck Garlock, vice president of sales and marketing at Fabri-Kal. “The new plant-based ag-fiber material will become part of Fabri-Kal’s Greenware packaging line and support our commitment to providing sustainable packaging solutions in the foodservice, consumer product and retail markets.”
The new manufacturing facility will employ approximately 50 people upon opening and an additional 100 people within the next five years. The building will maintain Fabri-Kal’s high quality and manufacturing standards with plans to be ISO (International Organization for Standardization) and FSSC 22000 (Food Safety System Certification) certified within one year. The facility will reflect Fabri-Kal’s mission to be a leading provider of sustainable packaging solutions, with half of operations focused on expanding the brand’s footprint in plastics thermoforming, and the other half of operations focusing on new, innovative product solutions utilizing the new fiber material.
“We look forward to building our new facility in the community of Burley, and would like to extend our appreciation to the state of Idaho and local agencies in Burley for their support in developing this project,” said Gary Galia, executive vice president of finance, Fabri-Kal Corporation.
For more information about the development of the new Fabri-Kal manufacturing facility in Burley, Idaho, contact Doug Manning, Economic Development Director, City of Burley, 208-878-2227, dcmanning@pmt.org . For more information about Fabri-Kal, visit www.fabri-kal.com.
About Fabri-Kal
Fabri-Kal is a leading provider of plastic foodservice and custom thermoformed packaging solutions. One of the largest thermoformers in North America, Fabri-Kal’s customer base includes thousands of foodservice operators and dozens of consumer product manufacturers. Headquartered in Kalamazoo, Mich., and in continuous operation since 1950, Fabri-Kal employs more than 800 people in five manufacturing, printing and warehousing facilities throughout the United States. More information about Fabri-Kal may be found at the company’s website, www.fabri-kal.com.
Source: Fabri-Kal
