[Kenosha, WI] – On July 8, 2025, Balcan Innovations is hosting a groundbreaking ceremony to mark the official start of construction for their building expansion tied to their recently-announced $200 million commitment toincreased capacity and growth at their Pleasant Prairie facility.
Balcan Innovations is a North American manufacturer of polyethylene films, flexible packaging, and reflective insulation used for a wide range of industrial applications. Balcan Innovations’ Pleasant Prairie, WI manufacturing facility began operations in 2021 and is focused on producing film and packaging for their Flexible Packaging division and its three core brands: Balcan Packaging, Plastixx, and NELMAR.
The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation is assisting Balcan Innovations’ expansion with $380,000 in performance-based state tax credits. The amount of credits the company will receive is contingent on its meeting capital investment and job creation goals.
“Leading businesses like Balcan Innovations choose to keep growing in our state because of our strong communities, incredible workers, and outstanding infrastructure,” said Missy Hughes, secretary and CEO of WEDC, the state’s lead economic development organization. “These partnerships encourage innovation, create high-skill jobs, and help to build an economy for all, where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.”
The upcoming expansion represents 15,250 square-feet of added space, increasing the building footprint from 170,000 square-feet to 185,250. The construction project will be managed and executed by Berghammer Construction Corporation.
The multi-level building expansion will initially house nine new extrusion lines. The addition will reach 100 feet high to accommodate the company’s largest incoming lines capable of producing up to 50-ft lay flat films – some of the largest film sizes available in North America.
Kenosha County Executive Samantha Kerkman said, “Balcan Innovations is one of the many high-quality employers that have moved operations to Kenosha County in recent years, and now it’s exciting to see the company expand its footprint here. Just as Balcan is meeting important needs for its clients with its specialized products, Kenosha County — the Gateway to Wisconsin — strives to be a place that’s desirable to do business, and this expansion is the latest demonstration of our success.”
The Kenosha Area Business Alliance (KABA) is supporting the expansion project with a $1.6 million low-interest loan to help with the purchase of equipment to be used in the expanded production space. This strategic investment will increase the plant’s film capacity by more than 700% to meet the growing demands of their U.S. customers.
“KABA is grateful to be able to support this strategic expansion for Balcan Innovations,” remarked KABA President Nicole Ryf. “Since opening its plant in Pleasant Prairie in 2021, the company has established itself as strong local employer that continues to explore growth opportunities in the flexible packaging industry. We were proud to partner with Balcan Innovations in 2021 and are glad to do so again today. We are grateful Balcan continues to invest in Kenosha County and create family-supporting jobs in our community.”
Kicking off in July 2025, the building expansion project 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.
Pleasant Prairie continues to be a destination for business expansion, innovation, and job creation,” said Village President Dave Klimisch. “The Village appreciates Balcan’s continued investment in the area and welcomes this expanded facility, which will support employment growth and continued industrial development in the region.”
Balcan Innovations 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. These jobs span entry-level to skilled trades, supporting expanded operations in: Printing (Flexographic Press), Extrusion (Co-extrusion & blown film lines), and Converting (bag-making, sealing, cutting).
New jobs will begin to open in December 2025 or sooner, and interested applicants are encouraged to begin inquiring and applying today at hrusa@balcan.com. The company will be prioritizing candidates eager to grow within manufacturing operations, with a strong emphasis on training and internal development.
