HOLLAND — ITB Packaging LLC plans to expand locally with a $3.5 million capital investment and the expected creation of at least 65 new jobs over the next five years.
West Michigan Works! will support ITB’s expansion with more than $546,000 in staff time, worker training grants and on-the-job training. The Michigan Strategic Fund also provided ITB Packaging a $325,000 performance-based grant to support the expansion.
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“When faced with the choice of where to expand, the decision was quite easy given the vibrant and innovative manufacturing epicenter in Holland,” ITB Packaging CEO Jeff Tischleder said in a statement from the Michigan Economic Development Corp. “We look forward to our continued investments into talent, facilities, and capital equipment resources here in West Michigan.”
ITB Packaging, based in the former Reddi-Whip plant on the north side of downtown Holland, plans to lease additional space at 430 W. 18th St. in Holland and add roughly 30,000 square feet of office and manufacturing space with an option for additional 52,500 square feet, Tischleder said in an email to MiBiz.
Longer term, the project has the potential to create up to 85 jobs and nearly $10 million in investment over five years in Holland.
ITB produces packaging dividers developed by co-founder Calvin Kortman. The dividers are made from fabrics that are glued together rather than sewn. They flex to provide the parts with better protection from the vibration that occurs during shipment, and enable clients to ship more small parts per box or container.
“ITB is an innovator in packaging and other applications for their products. Their growth in Holland shows their support for the community and their employees,” said Jennifer Owens, president of the economic development organization Lakeshore Advantage, which assisted ITB Packaging on the expansion project.
Earlier this year, ITB Packaging raised $6.7 million from private investors to support developing new production equipment and expanding into markets outside of the U.S., as MiBiz reported in February.
In the years ahead, the company aims to accelerate growth, penetrate new product markets such as consumer goods, electronics and the beverage industry, and establish production for overseas customers in Mexico and Europe.
