Smurfit Kappa has announced a €20 million investment in four manufacturing plants in the Czech Republic and Slovakia to expand its production capacity.
The investment strengthens Smurfit Kappa’s presence in the area and highlights its commitment to customers and operations in Eastern Europe, it said.
Manufacturing Plants
The investment consists of four major projects: three in the Czech Republic, at Smurfit Kappa facilities in Žebrák, Žimrovice, and Olomouc, and one in Slovakia, at Štúrovo.
All four projects are expected to be completed by the end of 2021.
Zdenek Suchitra, CEO of Smurfit Kappa Czech Republic and Slovakia, said, "We are delighted to see the continued growth and success of our customers here in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary.
"This new investment ensures we are excellently equipped to satisfy a wide variety of customer needs and to continue delivering our high quality solutions, as well as best-in-class efficiency, to the market."
The investment will include the installation of new converting equipment, which will increase capacity by over 100 million regular and offset printed boxes per annum.
The new equipment will enable the plants to meet their respective increasing customer demand for sustainable, paper-based packaging, as well as deliver strong packaging solutions on a consistent basis, the company said.
Safer Workplace
The investment also allows for the group to provide a safer workplace for the employees, the company added.
Commenting on the announcement, Edwin Goffard, COO of Smurfit Kappa Europe Corrugated, said, "This significant investment by Smurfit Kappa marks a commitment in further developing our presence in Eastern Europe.
"From both a product and geographical perspective, Smurfit Kappa Czech Republic and Slovakia are excellently positioned to serve an evolving and ever-growing market, and this investment will support further growth of the business."
The group has invested a significant amount of funds into various production facilities across Europe, with the most recent one in its Hoya paper mill in Germany.
© 2021 European Supermarket Magazine. Article by Conor Farrelly. For more Packaging news, click here. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
