IRIS USA Inc., a manufacturer and distributor of plastic injection molded products and distributor of small appliances, furniture and other household products, has expanded its facility in Pleasant Prairie–a $6.1 million project expected to create 90 jobs over the next three years.
WEDC is supporting the project by authorizing up to $350,000 in state income tax credits over the next three years. The actual amount of tax credits the company will receive is contingent upon the number of jobs created.
"This project is an example of the type of foreign direct investment we want to attract more of in Wisconsin,” said Missy Hughes, secretary and CEO of WEDC. “IRIS USA Inc. is putting Wisconsinites to work making products that are urgently needed to help the world survive and move beyond this pandemic."
IRIS USA has undergone a facility expansion to increase its product offerings manufactured at the Pleasant Prairie location. The company is engaged in the manufacture, distribution, marketing and sales of plastic injection molded household and office products such as storage boxes and containers.
Currently, disposable face masks are already produced and sold by the company through business-to-business and business-to-consumer transactions. Production capacity expansion will allow the company to supply face masks to customers in Canada, the U.S. and Mexico.
The project includes the addition of 26 machines at the facility, as well as renovations for the additional machines. These additions will be phased in over the three-year project period to ramp up face mask production.
“I am excited for the growth of IRIS USA and appreciate their continued investment in our community,” said state Rep. Samantha Kerkman. “With this expansion and the additional jobs, theirs is a shared success and I’m proud Wisconsin continues to offer an attractive business environment.”
In addition to the 90 jobs expected to be created by IRIS USA, an economic modeling study estimates the project could indirectly generate 87 additional jobs in the region. Those 177 jobs are expected to generate $163,336 in annual state income tax revenue.
The IRIS Group of companies is currently one of the largest consumer plastics manufacturers in the world, offering over 5,000 household products in Japan, such as gardening products, pet maintenance products, household storage products and office products, and operating some of the most highly automated manufacturing and distribution facilities in the world.