US – Direct Pack, a US manufacturer of thermoformed plastic packaging for food applications, has expanded its facility in Rockingham, North Carolina in line with its strategy for continued growth.
The Rockingham site produces a variety of food packaging containers including salad bowls and custom packaging for hot and cold fresh food applications.
The new expansion project is reported to have added 56,000 square feet of space, allowing Direct Pack to install additional flexible manufacturing lines that support a “24/7 operation”.
According to Direct Pack, the expanded Rockingham facility has allowed it to increase its manufacturing capacity by more than 40%.
“Expanding our manufacturing operations in Rockingham is an important part of our continued business growth,” said Craig Griffith, general manager of Direct Pack East.
“The additional production capacity will allow us to provide our expanding customer base the highest-quality packaging needed to deliver their products to consumers.”
Last year, Direct Pack which is a subsidiary of PMC Global acquired Mexican firm Atmosphera Verde in a move to expand its PET plastic recycling capabilities.
Pregis expands manufacturing footprint in US
Meanwhile, protective packaging manufacturer Pregis is investing US$80 million in a new blown film extrusion facility in South Carolina, US.
According to the company, the 168,000-square-foot facility will produce engineered films that can be used to manufacture packaging solutions for food, consumer packaged goods, and medical device applications.
The plant – which is expected to be operational in September – will also feature a film laboratory to develop and test materials and is expected to create 120 new jobs for local workers.
“We believe that this new facility will be the most technologically advanced extrusion facility in North America,” said Kevin Baudhuin, president and CEO of Pregis.
“The facility has been staffed with technology and market leaders who are focused on developing extruded films that have been engineered to meet market-driven performance requirements.”
Earlier in June, Pregis said it will invest more than US$14 million to open an advanced manufacturing facility in Henry County, Georgia.
During the announcement, the company noted that the investment will immediately create 80 additional jobs in the region and ramp up to 150 opportunities as the operation scales over the next few years.
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