Balcan Innovations makes $200-million investment in Quebec, U.S.

Saint-Léonard, Que.-based film and flexible packaging maker Balcan Innovations has completed installation of their new Windmoller & Hoelscher (W&H) printing press in Terrebonne, Que., in what’s being described as the first in a series of major investments in new extrusion, printing, and bag-making machinery for their Wisconsin and Quebec-based facilities.

Artist’s rendering of the 15,250-square-foot expansion at Balcan’s factory in Pleasant Prairie, Wis. Image Credit: Balcan Innovations

In a June 2 news release, Balcan officials said the company’s newly launched capital expenditure plan represents a $200-million commitment aimed at significantly expanding their U.S. operations with eight co-extrusion lines, one printing press, one tuber, and two bag-making machines, set to be installed in Pleasant Prairie, Wis., in 2025 through 2027 – an investment that will increase the plant’s film capacity by more than 700 per cent to meet the growing demands of their U.S. customers.

Balcan has also received municipal government approval to expand their 215,000 square-foot factory in Pleasant Prairie by 15,250-square-feet to accommodate the incoming assets. Additional infrastructure investments include the installation of exterior rail spurs for direct resin delivery, electrical upgrades, companywide training tools, and an expansion of their engineering and maintenance workforce across all sites.

To complement their planned U.S. growth, the now-operational 10-colour Miraflex II press in Terrebonne “represents a portion of Balcan’s commitment to reinforcing their expansive Canadian roots,” the statement said. The press will be followed by a five-layer W&H co-extrusion line in Terrebonne, set to be operational in early 2026, along with numerous machinery optimization projects already underway across their Montreal and Laval plants. “We’re continuing to invest in the best equipment and the best processes to serve our customers where they want to be served, whether that be in Canada or the U.S.,” said André Desroches, Balcan’s chief operating officer. “This is about creating manufacturing redundancies and positioning ourselves for what’s next, both for our company and the future of the flexible packaging industry.”

Balcan manufactures high-performance polyethylene films, flexible packaging, and reflective insulation with five brands at their core: Balcan Packaging, Plastixx FFS Technologies, NELMAR Security Packaging Systems, rFoil, and Reflectix.