Australian-based global packaging supplier Amcor continued its aggressive expansion on both sides of the Atlantic, investing in another state-of-the-art UV Flexo printing press in Spain and opening a new bottling plant in Paris, Texas.
The new flexo press at Amcor’s Alzira division in Spain is part of a broader investment programme that complements Alzira's existing rotogravure and digital presses, and enhances Amcor's ability to meet demand for blister foils and sachet laminates on the Iberian Peninsula.
This follows the recent announcement of plans for new presses at Amcor plants in Kreuzlingen, Switzerland, and Cramlington, UK. Together, the three investments serve the needs of the healthcare markets in the DACH region (Germany, Switzerland, Austria), the UK and Ireland, and the Iberian Peninsula, respectively.
"We are serving pharmaceutical blister foil and sachet laminate applications with our network of rotogravure, Flexographic and UV-Flexo presses and our continued investment in digital printing positions Amcor to respond to increasing demand for short- to medium-run packaging," said Paul Vega, vice president of Amcor's Pharmaceutical and Medical division in Europe.
Amcor also opened an onsite bottling plant at the Campbell’s Soup factory in Paris, Texas, US.
The plant will make 50 million hot-fillable PET bottles each year. Campbell’s increased access to packaging will also deliver sustainability benefits including reduced freight costs and carbon emissions.
“We’re excited about establishing this on-site operation because it expands our long-time strategic partnership with Campbell and gives us an opportunity to better serve a key strategic customer,” said Larry Weber, VP of Amcor’s North American beverages.
Amcor invested $US7 million to re-purpose the Paris manufacturing facility. The on-site operation will produce 46oz (1.3 litre) and 64oz PET containers for a variety of V8 vegetable juice products.
Amcor will showcase its latest flexible packaging solutions, including those for the healthcare industry at Interpack 2017, from May 4-10 in Dusseldorf, Germany.