Evertis, a supplier of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film for the food industry, plans to build a new $100m production plant in Columbia in the US state of South Carolina.

The facility will be operational by the second quarter (Q2) of 2026, with the first commercial sales to customers expected later the same year.

The initial phase of the expansion will add 30,000t of capacity to the North American packaging market.

The move is expected to yield significant benefits across the local value chain, with further expansion in the pipeline.

In the second quarter of 2028, Evertis plans to launch a second phase of development, which will increase production capacity by an additional 30,000t.

The project will create more than 100 full-time jobs in the region.

Evertis USA operations executive vice-president Thomaz Gruber stated: “This is truly another important milestone on our journey to deliver our packaging to the doorsteps of our customers.

“The asset addition to our global group production footprint will enable us to offer shorter lead times, reduce supply chain risks and better align with the increasing market demand for packaging solutions that prioritise circularity and environmental responsibility.”

Evertis has been serving the US market since 2000, initially supplying from its plants in Mexico and Brazil.

Evertis is a subsidiary of the IMG Group, a privately owned company with more than 65 years in the polymers industry, and has recently embarked on several expansion and diversification strategies.

In 2024, the IMG Group saw asset expansion within its co-polyester-producing business, Selenis, at its facility in Fayetteville, North Carolina.

The group also launched the Evercare and Selcare brands, aiming to provide new packaging solutions for the healthcare industry.

IMG Group chief business officer Dan Kearny stated: “As we expand in the US, our focus is on delivering packaging solutions that help our customers minimise their environmental footprint.

“With localised production, we can better support their goals for reducing life cycle impacts, while our innovative portfolio opens new opportunities for greater circularity in the packaging industry.”