Profile Films receives incentive for US$53.7M expansion, adding 97,000 square feet, 55 jobs in grand rapid

USA – Profile Films has received a US$5.1 million brownfield incentive from Grand Rapids for a US$53.7 million expansion, adding a 97,000-square-foot facility on Ann Street NW and creating 55 jobs.

The packaging company will break ground this summer on the industrial building, which will support its existing operations nearby at 1976 Avastar Parkway in Walker. 

The incentive, approved by the city’s Brownfield Redevelopment Authority, uses tax increment financing, which allows the developer to be reimbursed for eligible costs like site preparation using future tax revenue the project generates. 

The project will expand Profile Films’ production capacity for flexible packaging materials used in food, medical, and industrial applications.

Flexible Packaging Market Dynamics

Flexible packaging, stand-up pouches, flow wraps, and laminated films, has grown as brand owners shift from rigid containers to lightweight, space-efficient formats. 

Profile Films produces coextruded and laminated films that provide barrier properties (oxygen, moisture, light) for shelf-stable products. 

The 97,000 square foot addition represents a significant capacity increase; for context, a typical flexible packaging extrusion line occupies 10,000-15,000 square feet of production space, suggesting that the new facility could house 6-8 extrusion or converting lines. 

The company’s existing Walker facility will remain operational, with the Ann Street plant dedicated to expanding capacity rather than replacing existing lines.

Brownfield Incentive Mechanics

The US$5.1 million brownfield incentive does not write a cheque to Profile Films; it allows the company to capture taxes that would otherwise go to the city, county, and school district, using those funds to reimburse eligible site preparation costs. 

For a US$53.7 million project, the incentive covers approximately 9.5 percent of the total cost, a meaningful but not outsized subsidy. 

The tax increment financing structure ensures that the city does not pay upfront; the company spends the money first and claims reimbursement from future tax. 

The city’s Brownfield Redevelopment Authority approved the incentive, signalling that the project aligns with Grand Rapids’ economic development goals.

Job Creation and Economic Impact

The 55 new jobs at the Ann Street facility will add to Profile Films’ existing workforce. 

The company manufactures flexible packaging for customers including food processors, medical device manufacturers, and industrial goods producers. 

For the Grand Rapids region, which has a strong manufacturing base, the expansion adds capacity in a packaging segment that has seen sustained demand from e-commerce and food delivery. 

The project will break ground this summer, with construction timelines not specified in the announcement.

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