Construction is underway on IRIS USA’s 500,000 square-foot manufacturing and distribution facility along Commerce Drive in Humboldt Industrial Park East. The Japanese-based company is investing $84 million into the project and expects to hire nearly 100 employees when the facility is completed in the summer of 2020.
IRIS USA, a leading manufacturer of high-quality clear plastic storage products, pet products and ready-to-assemble furniture, broke ground for what will be the company’s first East Coast facility in the United States in May of 2018. Officials from the world-renowned plastics manufacturing company said they chose Greater Hazleton “for its abundant workforce and geographic location in order to strengthen production efficiencies and supply channels through ecommerce distribution.”
CAN DO President Kevin O’Donnell said, “CAN DO worked with representatives from IRIS and local and state partners for more than a year to help bring this project to Northeastern Pennsylvania and we truly believe this is a win-win situation for all involved. For IRIS, they have found a great strategic location to market and a dedicated workforce. For Greater Hazleton, we’re gaining an international plastics giant that is bringing nearly 100 high-quality manufacturing jobs to our area.”
CAN DO’s collaboration with its many local and regional partners gives companies looking to locate in the region access to numerous resources that will benefit their site selection search. The marketing arm for the region, Penn’s Northeast, generated the lead for its partners and CAN DO, as a member of the organization, was able to offer IRIS an ideal site in Greater Hazleton for their manufacturing operations.
O’Donnell said, “This is a perfect example of how our regional marketing effort should work. Penn’s Northeast generated the lead for its partners and we, as a member of the organization, were able to offer IRIS an ideal site in Greater Hazleton for their manufacturing operations. We appreciate the work John Augustine has done in making Penn’s Northeast a viable resource for job creation leads within our region.”
IRIS USA expanded into the U.S. market in 1992 and has its principal U.S. headquarters in Surprise, Arizona. In addition to Greater Hazleton and Arizona, the company has facilities in Wisconsin and Texas.
