Can maker announces $380M investment in Muncie

MUNCIE, Ind. (Inside INdiana Business) — A European can manufacturer has announced plans to build an aluminum can plant in Muncie, making an initial investment of $380 million and hiring 345 workers within two years. Poland-based CANPACK says it will build its second U.S. facility in Delaware County with the potential to expand its operations to 425 people and invest a total of $490 million by 2025.

Construction of the 862,000-square-foot facility is expected to begin in the middle of this year with manufacturing to begin in the fourth quarter of 2022.

CANPACK, which is part of Giorgi Global Holdings Inc., is a global manufacturer of aluminum beverage cans and packaging solutions for the food industry.

“We chose to expand here because of Indiana’s strong economy and very business-friendly environment said Peter Giorgi, president and chief executive officer of Giorgi Global Holdings Inc.

The Indiana Economic Development Corp., along with the Muncie-Delaware County Economic Development Alliance and the state of Indiana has offered CANPACK up to $4.7 million in conditional tax credits and up to $300,000 in conditional training grants.

“In the fast-paced and sophisticated process of site selection, we were able to compete for this project because we had completed a rigorous site certification process that prepared us for the opportunity,” said Traci Lutton, vice president of the Muncie-Delaware County Economic Development Alliance.

This is the company’s second U.S. facility. CANPACK broke ground a year ago on its first U.S. facility in Pennsylvania.

“Performing the due diligence in advance mitigated risk to the company and allowed us to provide technical and land development support while meeting the project timeline,” said Lutton. “While preparedness made us competitive, it was collaboration that ultimately won the project.”