One local company is in the process of ramping up its facility in a move that will increase both its size and number of employees.

Indorama Ventures Sustainable Solutions, a plastic bottle recycler, has decided to expand operations at its Athens facility.

According to the company, the facility will be expanded by 100,000 square feet and 78 jobs will be added. Chief Operation Officer Byron Geiger said the expansion encompasses an $11.1 million additional investment by the company into the community, which brings the total capital investment of the project to $51,540,235.

The Athens City Council voted 4-1 to amend Indorama’s tax abatement agreement during its meeting on Monday, with Councilman Harold Wales the dissenting vote. Wales said during the work session preceding the meeting that he wants to make sure Indorama is keeping up its end of the agreement to employ a certain number of workers, which Geiger assured him the company had.

“Indorama Ventures Sustainable Solutions looks forward to expanding our operations in Limestone County,” said Geiger. “There was definitely competition with some different sites. We’ve had a very good working relationship with the City of Athens and Limestone County. Logistics-wise it worked out well for us.”

Geiger said the facility’s expansion will be completed around the end of this year, while the additional employees are expected to be hired by the end of 2021. He said Indorama is beginning the hiring process now and will run through the end of next year.

“It is a great day when an existing company expands in our community,” said Mayor Ronnie Marks. “We appreciate Indorama adding to its investment in Athens.”

Limestone County Economic Development Association President and CEO Bethany Shockney congratulated Indorama on its capital investment addition.

“We are glad to see that Indorama has chosen once again to invest in Athens,” Shockney said. “We stand ready to support them and their growth and development of jobs in our community.”