Tesa Tape launches $36 million expansion at Sparta facility

Tesa Tape launches $36 million expansion at Sparta facility
Tesa Tape Inc.’s latest expansion planned at its Sparta facility.

SPARTA — Adhesive tape manufacturer Tesa Tape Inc. recently started construction on an expanded facility in Sparta, which is expected to bring at least 25 new jobs to the area.

The company, a subsidiary of Germany-based Beiersdorf AG, is investing $36 million to expand its Sparta location. It’s the company’s second expansion in Sparta in the past five years. 

Construction at the facility, located at 324 S. Union Ave., started this month and is expected to be completed by June 2022. Dan Vos Construction Co. will serve as the general contractor on the project. 

About 10,000 square feet will be added to the plant’s product development area, which will include a customer solution center. Another 28,000 square feet will be added to the company’s manufacturing space.

“This expansion in Sparta cements Tesa Tape’s presence in West Michigan and adds momentum to our efforts to ensure Michigan’s manufacturers lead the way in advanced manufacturing and workforce needs,” Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said in a statement. “With the help of companies like tesa tape, we can build back our state’s economy stronger than ever.” 

With the expansion, Tesa Tape seeks to increase its North American presence by expanding its local production footprint with environmentally friendly production technology.

“The enormous investment in our Tesa plant in Sparta is a big step towards being able to offer customers from important industrial sectors — such as the automotive and building industries — more sustainable and innovative self-adhesive technologies and products,” Daniel Germain, Tesa regional manager of North America, said in a statement.

The village of Sparta approved an industrial facilities tax exemption in support of the expansion. 

The adhesive tape company previously invested $20 million in a 24,000-square-foot expansion at its Sparta plant in 2016. The company primarily serves the automotive, consumer electronics, publishing and building materials industries.

The Sparta plant established Tesa’s first operations outside of Europe when it opened the facility in 1982. The location currently employs 125 of Tesa’s 5,000 employees.