WESTCHESTER, ILL. — Ingredion Inc. plans to invest $50 million to upgrade its facility in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, the company’s second such investment in a month.

Plans call for the Cedar Rapids plant to be upgraded and expanded for the production of industrial starches for the packaging and papermaking industries, Ingredion said. The company provides ingredient solutions for food, beverage, animal nutrition and industrial applications, the latter including performance-based specialty ingredients for the circular economy of the paper and packaging sectors.

“Demand is growing for functional solutions that deliver against more stringent requirements for strength, biodegradability and recyclability across both containerboard and papermaking,” said Rob Ritchie, senior vice president of food and industrial ingredients for Latin America, the United States and Canada at Ingredion.

“Ingredion is committed to supporting these industries as they adapt and innovate to meet a variety of changing consumer and environmental requirements, such as the need for stronger natural polymer-based food packaging,” Ritchie said. “With increased capacity and more efficient production at the Cedar Rapids facility, Ingredion will be well-positioned to deliver differentiated value to this growing market.”

In early February, Ingredion unveiled a planned investment of more than $100 million in its Indianapolis facility to improve efficiency, modernize equipment and install an energy cogeneration system. The company said the project would support increased demand for texture solutions and enable the plant to continue to lead in supplying specialty starch-based texturizers for global customers.

Also, in early January, Ingredion shut down operations at its facility in Vanscoy, Sask., which manufactures plant protein concentrates and flour. The company said in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission that it planned to close the site following a strategic review.