Smurfit Kappa has announced an investment of over €25 million to expand its packaging manufacturing facility in Pruszkow, central Poland.
The company says the investment will double the output from the facility, which serves both international and local customers in the FMCG food and beverage sectors.
Upon completion, the expanded facility will cover 37,500 square-metres, making it Smurfit Kappa’s largest facility in Poland and one of its largest in Europe.
The expansion will include the installation of a new high-tech corrugator, new converting equipment, logistics optimisation and a finished goods warehouse with the capacity for 12,000 pallets.
According to Smurfit Kappa, the ‘mega-plant’ will also reduce CO2 emissions by approximately 55 tonnes per year. In 2020, the company raised its CO2 reduction ambition, targeting net zero emissions by 2050.
“This significant investment marks Smurfit Kappa’s strategic commitment to its presence in Poland and in Eastern Europe. The Pruszkow plant is integral to our business, and this expansion will enable us to further meet the evolving needs of new and existing customers in key sectors, efficiently and sustainably,” said Saverio Mayer, CEO for Smurfit Kappa Europe.
The facility expansion also forms part of Smurfit Kappa’s accelerated capital investment programme, followings its €600 million equity capital raise which took place last November.
Smurfit Kappa Poland CEO, Jacek Nieweglowski, added: “This investment allows us to expand the range of high value products that we offer to our growing customer base, enabling us to better serve our customers and improve our competitiveness.”
Construction is due to begin in July and is expected to be completed in 2022. 25 new jobs will be created as a result of the investment.