Huhtamaki Inaugurates Plant In Thailand


Huhtamaki,
the Finnish consumer packaging specialist with worldwide operations, has today
inaugurated a second state-of-the art flexible packaging plant in Samutsakorn, Thailand.

    The new plant is uniquely
positioned and specially designed to be the best in packaging hygiene. Robust
food segment export market growth and the need for a sustainable, profitable
business model were the key drivers for expanding the constrained production
capacity in Thailand
and capture market potential.

    The festive inauguration ceremony at the new
plant was attended by Finnish Ambassador in Thailand His Excellency Mr. Lars
Erik Backström as well as CEO Mr. Jukka Moisio, Senior Vice President Flexibles
and Films Asia-Oceania Mr. Suresh Gupta and General Manager Thailand Mr.
Chaiyot Chanyam from Huhtamaki.

    “This
investment supports our strategy to focus on packaging operations where we have
a competitive advantage, good market positions and which create value for
Huhtamaki and our customers. The Asian retail market is expected to grow
approximately 10% annually and with our new production capacity we can serve
our customers in their local and export driven growth even better”, says
CEO Jukka Moisio.

    The new
manufacturing facility is located close to the existing plant in Samutsakorn
Industrial Estate in Samutsakorn. The EUR 17 million investment decision was
made in early 2007 and the facility was completed on schedule with first
commercial productions in July 2008.

    “In Thailand, we
already have a 10 % share of the broader flexible packaging market and are
market leaders in food packaging. We have a great team in Thailand and
their good work has driven business growth, but recently they were facing
capacity constraints. The new plant in Thailand is manufacturing sophisticated
flexible packaging in a world class hygienic environment and now improves and
increases our offering for our discerning customers,” says Suresh Gupta,
Senior Vice President Flexibles and Films Asia-Oceania.

    “We
are able to transfer the know-how from our units in Germany
and India to our locations
in Thailand, Vietnam and New Zealand. For example, the
retort flexibles capability in Thailand
was developed as a joint project with Huhtamaki experts from Germany, Italy,
India and Thailand“, says Chaiyot
Chanyam, General Manager Thailand.

Huhtamaki
has been present in Thailand
since 1997.

 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *