165 new jobs headed to Richland County as company plans $20 million expansion

A Richland County manufacturer plans to create 165 jobs and invest $20 million to expand its facility in Blythewood.

Intertape Polymer Group Inc. was granted a tax break by Richland County as an incentive for the expansion. County Council unanimously approved the incentive deal Tuesday night.

Intertape Polymer, which has operated in Richland County for more than 50 years, develops, manufactures, and sells packaging materials. The Blythewood facility opened in 2013, but before that the company was located on South Beltline Boulevard in Columbia.

An international company with headquarters in Montreal and Sarasota, Florida, Intertape Polymer operates more than 20 manufacturing facilities in North America, including several in nearby states, according to the company’s website.

The economic development agreement between Intertape Polymer and Richland County includes tax incentives for the company. The company will pay a fixed, reduced tax rate for 30 years as long as it fulfills its commitment to invest $20 million in the county and create at least 165 jobs within five years. The new jobs are expected to pay an average of $17 per hour, the company has indicated.

Tax incentives, like the ones approved for Intertape Polymer, are commonly offered by cities and counties to attract investment and bolster economic growth in communities.

Intertape Polymer’s expansion comes at a stable time for the company. In the first quarter of 2021, the company earned a net profit of almost $20 million and recorded net profits for the last eight quarters, according to its most recent quarterly earnings report.

The timeline of the expansion project is currently unknown; however, after receiving approval from Richland County, the company is now able to begin work on the expansion.

This story was originally published June 9, 2021 at 9:08 AM.