Avangard Innovative will refurbish recyclables for reuse, increasing the company’s service to Midwest clients
Today, the Evansville Regional Economic Partnership, Posey County Commissioners and executives from Avangard Innovative announce the company’s plans to build a 500,000 square-foot state-of-the-art recycling facility in Mt. Vernon, Indiana to support its Midwest base. The $100 million operation will create over 200 jobs by the end of 2024.
“These are exciting times for Avangard Innovative, the State of Indiana, and the local community of Posey County,” said Avangard Innovative, CEO, Rick Perez. “As we collaborate to advance recycling and sustainability solutions, we will positively impact the environment, the economy, and the overall well-being at local, state, and national levels. We couldn’t do this without the support of the Evansville Regional Economic Partnership.”
Founded in 1984 Avangard Innovative headquartered in Houston, TX is known for their modern techniques in Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) state of the art facilities and technology recycling plants in the United States. The facility, located on a 176-acre site in Mt. Vernon will be the company’s first in Indiana and will refurbish recyclables for reuse, increasing the company’s service to Midwest clients. Avangard Innovative plans to begin construction in 2023, and the facility is expected to be operational in 2024.
The Evansville, Indiana region was chosen as the ideal choice because of its proximity to market demand and material generators.
“We are pleased to welcome Avangard Innovative to Southwest Indiana. We are excited for their potential to contribute to a more circular economy for plastic here in Indiana,” said Rob Flores, Vice President of Sustainability at Berry.
Avangard Innovative will focus on the mechanical recycling of film and flexible plastics – some of the most complex plastics in the recycling stream – and convert these materials to post-consumer recycled (PCR) that can be used to manufacture new products replacing virgin materials. These streams make up almost a quarter of plastic generation, but only about 5 percent is recycled today.
“We are pleased Avangard Innovative chose Mt. Vernon for its proximity to suppliers and skilled workforce,” said Posey County Commissioner, Bill Collins. “This is a fantastic day for the Evansville Region and further demonstrates how Posey County is an attractive place to work and live.”
“E-REP plays an important role in building trust and relationships with businesses across the Evansville region,” said Jenna Richardt, Vice President of Economic & Community Development for the Evansville Regional Economic Partnership (E-REP). “Collaboration was key to the announcement today and we’ll continue to make strides to bolster and diversify the regional economy in Posey County and throughout the Evansville Region.