Evertis investing $100M in new US production facility

Evertis, a plastic film and packaging producer headquartered in Portugal, recently announced plans to build a new production plant in Columbia, South Carolina.

The new facility, a $100 million investment, is scheduled to be operational in the second quarter of 2026, with its first commercial sales to customers anticipated later that year.

The initial phase of the expansion will add 30,000 tons of new capacity to the North American packaging market and is projected to created more than 100 full-time jobs in the region. The strategic move also will generate significant benefits across the local value chain, the company says, with further expansion planned. In 2028, a second phase will increase production capacity by an additional 30,000 tons, raising total capacity to 60,000 tons.

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Evertis has served the United States market since 2000, initially supplying from its plants in Mexico and Brazil. The company says its decision to expand with a new production plant in the U.S. reflects its commitment to strengthening its local presence and ensuring more reliable, efficient supply to meet the growing demand in North America.

“This is truly another important milestone on our journey to deliver our packaging to the doorsteps of our customers,” says Thomaz Gruber, executive vice president of operations of Evertis USA, based in Charlotte, North Carolina. “The asset addition to our global group production footprint will enable us to offer shorter lead times, reduce supply chain risks and better align with the increasing market demand for packaging solutions that prioritize circularity and environmental responsibility.”

Evertis is part of the IMG Group, a privately-owned company with more than 65 years of experience in the polymers industry. The announcement from the IMG Group follows a number of recent expansion and diversification strategies for the integrated group. Last year, the group expanded its reach within its copolyester producing business, Selenis, at its plant in Fayetteville, North Carolina, and the launch of the Evercare and Selcare brands to provide packaging solutions for the healthcare industry.

“As we expand in the U.S., our focus is on delivering packaging solutions that help our customers minimize their environmental footprint,” says Dan Kearny, chief business officer of the IMG Group. “With localized production, we can better support their goals for reducing life cycle impacts, while our innovative portfolio opens new opportunities for greater circularity in the packaging industry.”

The company says it sees the U.S. as a global hub for some of the most influential brands in the world, and getting closer to these brands means it strengthens and scales its ability to directly collaborate with industry leaders and drive sustainable packaging solutions at a global scale.

Producing primarily polyethylene terephthalate films, Evertis has worked to include increasing amounts of recycled content in its products. According to the company’s 2023 sustainability report, it used 35,599 tons of recycled content in its offerings, a slight increase from the prior year. The company’s long-term goals include using 50 percent recycled content in its products, making 100 percent of its products recyclable and ensuring 100 percent of packaging made with its films are recycled.