Business News

Alcan Packaging to Invest Euro 17 Million in the Central European Packaging Market

Thursday 03. July 2008 - Alcan Packaging, a division of Rio Tinto Alcan, announced today that it will invest euro 17 million (approximately US$27 million) in the Central European packaging market. Alcan Packaging will build a state of the art flexible packaging facility located in the Novy Bydzov area, in the Czech Republic, to supply the emergent food market.

“This investment will strengthen our position on the fast growing Central Europe market,” said Ilene Gordon, president and chief executive officer, Alcan Packaging. “It is a new and important step in Alcan Packaging’s growth strategy implementation,” she added.

The new plant will focus primarily on the production and printing of high quality rotogravure flexible packaging. The plant is expected to be operational in the fourth quarter of 2009 and to employ 100 people in the first development phase.

“Our customers are growing and we will be able to better serve their needs and deliver reliable, innovative and high quality packaging materials and solutions,” said Michael Cronin, president, Alcan Packaging Food Europe.

Alcan Packaging Food Europe, a business of Alcan Packaging, is the European leader in flexible packaging for the food and beverages market. Alcan Packaging Food Europe registered sales of US$2.3 billion in 2007. It operates 31 plants in 18 countries and employs 7,300 people.