Plastic Package, a manufacturer of packaging containers and trays based in Sacramento, California, has announced that it will invest $1.37 million to lease and equip a 20,000-square-foot facility in La Porte, Indiana, to act as its Midwest headquarters. The company has 85 employees in California and will begin hiring for its Indiana facility this month, with an initial goal of 19 new jobs by 2016.

Plastic Package designs and manufactures packages for cosmetics, electronics and food, and was recently named one of its region's fastest-growing companies by the Sacramento Business Journal. The Indiana Economic Development Corporation has offered Plastic Package up to $100,000 in conditional tax credits which will only kick in when the company meets its hiring goals. The city of La Porte has also approved financial incentives.

"Companies like Plastic Package recognize that Indiana is a state that works," said state Secretary of Commerce Victor Smith. "What makes Indiana unique is the abundance of advantages companies find here. From our low taxes and pro-growth policies to our expanding infrastructure and talented workforce, Indiana offers an environment that lets businesses reach the next level in their strategic plans."

Indiana continues to be a national leader in the manufacturing sector. In its latest rankings, Area Development placed Indiana seventh on its list of the best states to do business, specifically on the strength of manufacturing and its geographic location, which makes it a hub for both highway and rail transportation. The state's companies in turn can benefit from locally based manufacturing ERP software providers, who can furnish them with tools to plan and track every step of the production process, from inventory to distribution.