Verstraete IML USA will locate a new manufacturing facility to a 56,000 square foot building in Clarksville, Tennessee. The Belgium-based in-mold labeling manufacturer will invest $20 million and create 59 new jobs in Montgomery County.

The company plans on renovating and bringing in new equipment to the facility. Renovations are set to begin in October and will be completed by July 2017.

“The decision to expand our production capacity with an international site is a huge step for our company,” Managing Director of Verstraete IML Managing Director Koen Verstraete said. “Going to North America will not only strengthen our position as global leader, but also gives us direct access to North America – the IML market with the best growth potential.”

Verstraete IML is a prominent global leader in in-mold labelling. The company, formerly known Drukkerij Verstraete, specializes in printing labels on polypropylene, using an in-mold labeling technique where the label is placed in a mold which has the shape of the end product.

“Since 2010, Tennessee’s manufacturing sector has gained 45,402 jobs, which is the fifth biggest gain among all U.S. states,” Economic and Community Development Commissioner Randy Boyd said. “I appreciate Verstraete IML for seeing the advantages that Tennessee has to offer and choosing to locate its new facility in Clarksville.”

“We are thrilled and honored to help facilitate new corporate investment and new jobs in Clarksville-Montgomery County,” Chairman of the Clarksville-Montgomery County Industrial Development Board Billy Atkins said. “Global interest in our community continues to expand because of the many attributes we offer – workforce supply, a central location, interstate/rail/river access, stable cost of doing business, and a growing community that is a good place to live and work.”