Berry Plastics Group Inc. recently announced plans to further optimize production and relocate manufacturing equipment to four of its Indiana manufacturing operations. The company will invest approximately $31 million for new infrastructure and equipment, and will also transfer existing equipment from other Berry Plastics facilities. The project will begin early this year and is expected to add more than 330 production jobs over the next two years at the company’s downtown Evansville, Evansville airport, Princeton, and Richmond facilities in Indiana.

“The relocation of production equipment to Vanderburgh, Gibson, and Wayne counties from other Berry facilities supports our restructuring efforts, announced in November 2013, to optimize our manufacturing operations, maximize production efficiencies, and best service our customers,” said Jon Rich, chairman and CEO. “We are extremely appreciative of Indiana’s city, county, and state officials and other partners such as GAGE and Vectren for their joint support of this initiative.”

To encourage the investment and job creation in Indiana, the Indiana Economic Development Corp. reportedly offered the company a grant up to $300,000 to facilitate job skills training and $2.35 million in Economic Development for Growing Economy (EDGE) tax credits, which may be certified over the next 10 years. In addition, the City of Evansville offered the company a 10-year Tax Phase-In on real property investment, with an estimated value of $1.7 million, and a Modified Schedule of Tax Abatement on personal property investment, with an estimated value of $2.8 million. The city also offered a Hiring/Training Grant with a maximum of $100,000.

For more information, visit www.berryplastics.com.