Fabri-Kal Corporation will hold a ribbon cutting ceremony and grand opening for their new manufacturing facility in Burley, Idaho, on Thursday, October 15. The facility broke ground March 30 of this year. 

This multi-year $50 million project is beginning operations in a new 100,000-square-foot manufacturing facility. The new facility expands Fabri-Kal’s footprint in plastics thermoforming and will enable initiatives to add to the existing Greenware product line using a renewable and compostable material made from plant-based fiber.    

“The plant opening marks the next step in our company’s leadership position in sustainable packaging and is consistent with our continued commitment to being a responsible corporate citizen,” said Mike Roeder, president and chief operating officer at Fabri-Kal.  “Our continued investment in our Greenware line sends a clear message to consumers that we value the environment, our customers, and our people.”  Greenware is Fabri-Kal’s line of annually renewable drink cups, lids, portion containers and on-the-go boxes, made entirely from plants - not petroleum. 

The grand opening will welcome a variety of stakeholders in attendance, including government officials, community members, the founder of Fabri-Kal, executive management and employees.  “We’re proud to publicly introduce our new facility in the community of Burley,” said Brian Hackett, manager of the Burley facility.  “We extend our appreciation to the state of Idaho and local agencies in Burley for their support in developing this project.”

The new manufacturing facility will employ approximately 50 people, with plans to add an additional 100 people in the next five years. Maintaining Fabri-Kal’s high quality and manufacturing standards, the thermoforming operation will be ISO (International Organization for Standardization) 9001 and FSSC 22000 (Food Safety System Certification). Above all, the new facility in Burley will further Fabri-Kal’s mission to be a leading provider of sustainable packaging solutions, with half of operations focused on expanding the brand’s footprint in plastics thermoforming, and the other half of operations focusing on new, innovative product solutions utilizing the new fiber material.

Fabri-Kal is a leading provider of foodservice and custom thermoformed packaging solutions. One of the largest thermoformers in North America, Fabri-Kal’s customer base includes thousands of foodservice operators and dozens of consumer product manufacturers.  Fabri-Kal specializes in a variety of materials includeing PP, PET, PCR-PET, HDPE, PLA, renewable agricultural pulp, and HPPS.  Headquartered in Kalamazoo, Mich., and in continuous operation since 1950, Fabri-Kal employs more than 800 people in five manufacturing, printing and warehousing facilities throughout the United States. More information about Fabri-Kal may be found at the company’s website, www.fabri-kal.com.