Small Manufacturer Takes Tax Reform Case to Congress

One small manufacturer gave voice to what thousands of other companies have been saying since the landmark tax law last summer: stable, pro-growth tax policies help make investments in workforce, research, facilities and equipment possible. Alex Grover, CEO and owner of flexible polymer film manufacturer i2M, appeared before the Ways and Means Committee to detail what the tax law has done for her own firm and employees.

The company: “While you may not see our brand in every product that you buy in the store, rest assured it is a key component to the homes and building products that protect America,” Grover told the committee.

• “We’re proudly headquartered in northeastern Pennsylvania, and we have 210 full-time team members. … We operate around the clock and we sell products around the world. Most importantly, we are investing in the American manufacturing workforce.”

Childcare benefits: “Of all the ways H.R.1 has empowered us to invest in our people and our community, childcare stands out,” Grover continued.

• In 2022, i2M began providing childcare benefits to employees when many parents had children at home doing remote learning due to the pandemic. The company brought a teacher onsite to help employees’ children.
• Today, i2M offers childcare benefits through a local childcare provider. “We reserve spots, offer reduced rates and extend hours for team members who work 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., not just for those who work nine to five,” Grover added.
• “By expanding the tax credit to $500,000 and increasing the credit rate to 40%, Congress has made it more financially feasible for businesses like i2M to invest in top-notch childcare benefits,” she emphasized. “Childcare is not just a perk, it is critical infrastructure, as critical as the roads and bridges that my team take to come to work and the electrical grid that powers our machines.”

Pro-growth tax provisions: Grover cited many pro-manufacturing tax provisions made permanent in the 2025 law, pointing out that they have helped the company invest in R&D, hire more workers and even build a new facility.

• Immediate expensing for R&D, made permanent in H.R. 1, is helping the company develop new products and create more sustainable and recyclable plastics, meeting customers’ demands for environmentally friendly products.
• Meanwhile, the immediate facility expensing will help i2M fund its newest addition: a 130,000 square foot expansion slated for 2027.
• And thanks to immediate expensing for equipment, the company will be able to fill that space with new machinery.
• Last, Grover cited the pass-through deduction and the estate-tax exemption, also made permanent in 2025, which help companies like i2M remain family-owned and “keep investing in United States manufacturing.”

Big investments: Thanks to the 2025 tax law, i2M was able to make “a $63 million in new investment onshoring critical production components,” which will also allow it to hire 40 more workers.

• “That means 40 more team members building meaningful careers in the manufacturing industry that is vital to U.S. national and economic security, and it means 40 more families with access to competitive pay, health benefits and yes, high-quality childcare,” Grover said.

The bottom line: “The Working Families Tax Cut Act truly is a bill for working families and for manufacturers like i2M who support working families,” Grover said.

Learn more: Explore the NAM’s extensive tax advocacy here, including its “Manufacturing Tax Wins Across America” flipbook, featuring 50 success stories driven by the permanent pro-growth tax provisions in H.R. 1 (including i2M, representing Pennsylvania). The flipbook has been a big hit at the White House and on Capitol Hill!