Area Development
Columbia-based packaging firm Plastilene plans to establish a research and development center in Washington Court House, Ohio. The $47 million project is expected to create 58 new jobs.

The Sustainable Food Packaging Innovation Center will be located at the Rocktenn building, 1010 Mead Street, and will be the company’s first U.S. operation.

“Plastilene’s business culture and philosophy is that you invest for the long-term and seek to bring innovative solutions to your customers,” said Guillermo Umana, Plastilene’s General Manager. “We’re excited to work with leaders in our industry to help Ohio’s food producers deliver fresh products in a sustainable way.”

The Innovation Center will focus on the development and high-volume commercialization of game-changing recyclable food packaging. The research will seek to increase circularity, capture after-use material value, reduce leakage into natural streams, reduce fossil feedstock usage, and enhance sustainable economics, carbon footprint reduction and performance targets for multiple Ohio & National food industry companies.

“Plastilene’s R&D Center in Washington Court House will establish its first U.S. operations, combining Ohio’s leading role in advancing plastics technology with a global leader in sustainable packaging,” said JobsOhio President and CEO J.P. Nauseef. “With Ohio’s talent and collaborative innovation, Plastilene will continue to develop disruptive, sustainable packaging technology for foods, pharmaceuticals and other product sectors that positively impact our lives every day.”

The Plastilene Group is a global leader in the development and production of high-quality, responsible packaging for a variety of foods, beverages, pharmaceutical products, medical devices, home and personal care products and more. Plastilene has existing operations in Colombia, Ecuador and Guatemala. Plastilene has four specialty focus areas in Packaging and Technical film, Industrial Products, Film for Agro-Industry, and Film Products with Recycled Materials.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Plastilene to the Dayton Region and help them further develop their North American market,” said Julie Sullivan, the Dayton Development Coalition’s Executive Vice President for Regional Development. “Their new facility will leverage so many of our strengths, bringing together skilled manufacturing and R&D, to tackle important issues in a meaningful way.”