According to a report in the Upstate Business Journal Fitesa's North American investment is 20% larger than previously. The nonwovens manufacturer will invest $62 million in its Simpsonville, SC site, a project that South Carolina reportedly won over Washington state, where Fitesa also operates a nonwovens facility, according to sources.
In March, Fitesa announced plans to invest $52 million to make infrastructure improvements, buy equipment and add 20,000 square feet to its existing 190,000-square-foot facility in Simpsonville. The company’s deal with the state outlined an investment of $62 million instead of $52 million by the end of 2019, according to Greenville County documents reviewed by Upstate Business Journal.
Greenville competed with cities across the country for the $62 million project, and ultimately outbid Washington state, according to Greenville Area Development Corporation. The expansion is an amendment to a previous investment deal, bringing Fitesa’s investment to $177 million within a single state incentive deal.
Fitesa has been aggressively investing in its nonwovens business since acquiring complete control of it from Fiberweb in 2010. In addition to the South Carolina investment, Fitesa has expanded its operations in Brazil, Peru, Sweden and Italy in recent years.
