Carmel-based maker of cannabinoid products to hire as many as 270

A Carmel-based maker of cannabinoid products derived from hemp plants is planning to expand its operations at three locations on the north and northeast sides of the Indy area and to hire as many as 270 employees by the end of 2023.

3C Labs LLC, a cannabinoid research and manufacturing firm, intends to invest $1.5 million in the expansion, according to a contract with the Indiana Economic Development Corp.

The IEDC has pledged up to $2.97 million in tax credits to 3C Labs based on its job creation plans. The tax credits are conditional and can only be claimed after employees have been hired.

Founded in 2018, 3C Labs sells a variety of vaping products; consumables such as gummies, candies and baked goods; and oils, tinctures and terpenes. It sells its products under the brand name 3Chi.

The company has grown quickly in the rapidly changing landscape for hemp-derived products, CEO Justin Journay told IBJ. It already employs about 300 workers, mostly in the Indianapolis area.

Journay expects the growth to continue with as many as 270 more employees in Indiana by the end of 2023. The new jobs will be in areas such as production, sales, technology and customer service.

From a real estate standpoint, the company’s three existing locations where operations growth is expected are located in Carmel near Keystone Parkway and East 116^th Street, with the other two in Indianapolis near the Interstate 69 corridor northeast of Castleton.