MonoSol Expands Operations Locally and into Europe to Serve Growing Global Customer Base

New Poland Facility and Expansion of Lebanon, Indiana Facility Slated for 2020

MERRILLVILLE, Ind., November 4, 2019 – To meet rapidly increasing demand for its water-soluble and biodegradable films, Kuraray’s MonoSol Division today announced plans to further expand its operations with the construction of a new manufacturing facility in Poland. Additionally, the company confirmed plans to increase manufacturing capacity at its recently completed plant near Indianapolis in Lebanon, Indiana. MonoSol is an integral part of Tokyo-based Kuraray Group, a leading global specialty chemical company.

The new manufacturing plant in Poland will be located in Ujazd, part of the Katowice Special Economic Zone, and is ultimately expected to create approximately 90 jobs. After a comprehensive European site selection process, the Poland location was chosen for its excellent infrastructure, accessibility to key customers, strong skilled labor base, cost and operational advantages.

MonoSol’s existing production facility in Hartlebury, England, will continue to serve European and global markets. The company already has sales, customer service and technical support teams located throughout Europe with its EU commercial center located at the Kuraray Europe headquarters in Hattersheim am Main, Germany.

The addition of the Poland facility will expand MonoSol’s manufacturing presence to mainland Europe and is driven by strong growth of the unit dose concept in continental markets, particularly in the laundry and dish detergent categories. The physical proximity to customers allows for better and faster collaboration, shortens the supply chain, and helps reduce risks and costs associated with trade uncertainty. The company will share additional details about its plan and timeline in conjunction with a groundbreaking ceremony to be held when construction begins.

In Lebanon, Indiana, MonoSol recently completed construction on its newest manufacturing facility and will begin operation in December. The company now will install additional equipment, doubling the plant’s initial capacity. The new capacity is slated to begin commercial production in 2021. The facility, MonoSol’s fourth in Indiana, has already hired its first round of employees and will have brought more than 90 new jobs to the region by time the expansion is complete.

“The need for environmentally friendly solutions is growing at a rapid rate as companies across the globe take on the challenge to make everyday products simpler, safer and more sustainable,” said P. Scott Bening, President and CEO, MonoSol. “Kuraray’s continued commitment and investment in our customers’ future will allow us to transform brands globally and at an unmatched capacity.”