IRIS USA, an international manufacturer and distributor of injection-molded plastic organizational products for the home, office, craft & hobby and pets will soon begin construction on a 500,000 square-foot building in CAN DO’s Humboldt Industrial Park East which, when completed, will create nearly 100 new jobs.

“IRIS USA, Inc. is very excited to be partnering with CAN DO, Inc. and Pennsylvania’s Department of Community and Economic Development as we embark on our company’s East Coast expansion plans. Everyone in Luzerne County has gone out of their way to be incredibly welcoming and helpful, so it’s easy to see why so many distinguished companies have chosen to locate here. We can’t wait to be part of the Hazle Township community,” said Shaay Farago, on behalf of IRIS USA, Inc. President Doc Takahashi

Kevin O’Donnell, CAN DO’s president and CEO, said “We are very pleased to welcome IRIS to our industrial park and happy that the company chose Greater Hazleton as the location for its newest manufacturing operations in the United States. Our great location to market and our dedicated workforce are paying dividends once again for our region. Today, companies in Humboldt Industrial Park are employing nearly 10,000 people.”

IRIS, founded in 1971 and headquartered in Japan, incorporated IRIS USA in 1992 and opened its first U.S. facility in Stockton, California in 1994. Since then, IRIS USA has added facilities in Texas, Wisconsin and Arizona. The company is planning a groundbreaking event for the Hazle Township facility for late May. In addition to its facilities in the United States and Japan, IRIS also operates in China, Korea and Europe.

Hazle Township Board of Supervisors Chairman Jim Montone said, “We wish IRIS USA long and prosperous success in Hazle Township and look forward to breaking ground with them on their manufacturing facilities next month.”

CAN DO’s marketing department worked for more than year with the Governor’s Action Team on the project and were also assisted by Hazle Township, the Hazleton Area School District and Luzerne County, which provided vital tax incentives through the LERTA program. The Department of Community and Economic Development assisted with providing funding for the project that includes a $237,500 Pennsylvania First grant, a $42,750 WEDnet grant for employee training and $285,000 in Job Creation Tax Credits to be issued after the new jobs are created.