Danimer Scientific, a leading developer and manufacturer of biodegradable materials, plans to invest $700 million in expanding their Bainbridge manufacturing operations, nearly quadrupling their workforce in Decatur County. On March 16, Danimer and Mars-Wrigley announced a partnership to develop an innovative home compostable packaging, with SKITTLES as the brand’s first product to use the new packaging.

“I want to thank Danimer for this planned investment in Bainbridge that will create hundreds of solid manufacturing jobs for the hardworking people of southwest Georgia,” said Governor Brian P. Kemp.

“Across multiple industries, Georgia is growing jobs of the future. This major expansion is a testament to the increasing focus Georgia is putting on sustainability and innovation, supported by our highly skilled workforce, technical colleges, and business-friendly climate.”

Danimer’s renewable and sustainable biopolymers are used in single-use and other plastic products. These materials are biodegradable and compostable and are used by clients in industries like food packaging, bottling, and other traditional packaging sectors. Applications for Danimer’s biopolymers include additives, aqueous coatings, fibers, filaments, films, hot-melt adhesives, and injection-molded articles.

“Georgia has been a welcoming home for Danimer since the company’s inception, and we are grateful for the opportunity to continue growing our roots in the region,” said Stephen Croskrey, CEO of Danimer Scientific. “With access to the state’s robust logistics infrastructure and top-notch talent coming from local universities, we are in a strong position to make our vision of replacing traditional plastic with 100% renewable and biodegradable alternatives a reality. We could not be more pleased with the growing commitments to sustainable solutions by multinational companies, which has allowed us to double the planned size of this new facility.”

Danimer expects to construct an additional 2,000,000-square-foot facility near their current 25-acre campus, located at 140 Industrial Boulevard in Bainbridge.

“Reducing the environmental impacts of plastic waste is one of the most critical issues facing the world today, so we are proud to welcome home a project that will play a key role in solving it,” said Rick McCaskill, Executive Director of the Development Authority of Bainbridge and Decatur County. “We look forward to supporting Danimer Scientific in bringing this innovative technology from Decatur County to the rest of the world.”