An announcement of a new biosciences-related employer for the East Hills Business Park is expected to be made by Lawrence economic development leaders on Thursday.

Plastikon Industries, a manufacturer of plastic components for the health care market and other industries, is expected to finalize a deal to add at least 50 jobs to Lawrence, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the deal.

The company is expected to occupy the former Serologicals building, an East Hills facility that has set largely vacant since 2004 when plans to open a new facility to serve the pharmaceutical industry foundered.

Plastikon — based near San Francisco — likely will use the Lawrence plant to manufacture plastic components for the animal health care industry. State leaders have been working to tout the corridor between Kansas City and Manhattan as one of the best regions in the country for the animal health industry.

According to various industry Web sites, Plastikon has about 1,000 employees with factories in the United States and Asia. According to the company’s website, it provides contract plastic manufacturing services to companies in the health care, automotive, packaging and consumer markets.

Attempts to reach economic development leaders with the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce, which has been involved in brokering the deal, were not immediately successful.