BYK USA Plans $47 Million Expansion

BYK USA Inc., a Wallingford-based additives company, will break ground later this month on a $47 million expansion of its plant at 524 South Cherry St.

BYK, an international firm that produces additives for the paint and plastics industries, anticipates that the expansion will increase the company’s manufacturing capacity by 300 percent and will allow the firm to hire 37 new full-time employees.

The company currently employs 120 workers full time.

BYK has scheduled a ground breaking ceremony for Sept. 25. Company officials say the new production areas will be phased in starting in early 2014.

“We are already well underway with preparations and have made the first of many hires,” said Dirk Plas, BYK’s president. “We also have an internal project team working diligently to ensure the success of this project.”

BYK has already contracted two local companies, A to Z Construction in Hamden and IDEA Engineering of Milford to begin work on the project.

The company also has facilities in Germany, Brazil, China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, the Netherlands, Singapore, Taiwan and the United Arab Emirates.