Converting

Impress, the metal packaging specialist, is to build a new manufacturing plant in New York that will initially create 75 jobs.

The 9,290sq m plant is being constructed to allow for a second phase of expansion that could double the workforce. It will produce metal packaging for the food and pet food markets.

The company would not say at this stage when the plant would be completed, or provide any details of output.

Empire State Development, the Office of Small Cities and Broome County Industrial Development Agency in New York State have provided funding of $2.1m (£1.1m).

Impress chief executive Francis Labbé said: "We continue to see good growth opportunities in the US. We had a wide choice of locations for this major development, but we have been so impressed by the energy and support offered by the State of New York that our decision to locate the plant here was easy."

Impress produces metal containers for a wide variety of products, from seafood to infant formula, paints and aerosols. It also manufactures Easy Open and Easy Peel can ends.

The Netherlands-based firm has worldwide sales of around €1.8bn (£1.4bn). It employs approximately 8,000 people at 60 facilities in 21 countries.

In North America, the firm has six manufacturing plants and corporate offices in Pennsylvania.