RUSSIA – Huhtamaki, a global specialist in packaging for food and drinks has opened a new fiber packaging line in Invanteevka, Russia to enable the company meeting the growing demand of packaging solutions.
The new packaging line is part of a €7 million (US$7.7m) investment that the company announced in November 2018, which included setting up a completely new state-of-the-art egg carton line as well as modernizing one of the unit’s existing egg packaging lines.
As part of Huhtamaki’s continuous efforts to minimize the environmental footprint of its manufacturing operations, the company also made improvements to the unit’s water management system.
Speaking during the opening of the production line Gala Mansurova, General Manager for Fiber Packaging Russia said: “I would like to thank my colleagues at Fiber Packaging Russia for their hard work and contribution to the successful implementation of this investment.
“Our growth has been constrained by lack of capacity, but now, thanks to the new line and range extensions, we are again ready to grow with our customers.”
Huhtamaki has had manufacturing operations in Russia since 1994. It manufactures foodservice packaging and egg packaging through two of its units located in Ivanteevka, near Moscow, and in Alabuga, Tatarstan.
Investments to spur growth
The company says that it will continue to make investments directed to business expansion in various markets as it seeks to further drive growth and explore profitable opportunities
Huhtamaki is piloting a fiber-based ready meal tray called Fresh in Waitrose stores in the UK. The company plans to start its first industrial-scale Fresh manufacturing line during the fourth quarter of 2019, in Lurgan, Northern Ireland.
In addition, the company said during its recent most financial report that two other recent new launches, the Huhtamaki blueloop concept for recyclable flexible packaging and paper straws, are also showing good growth prospects.
Huhtamaki has also made two acquisitions – in South Africa and India – to support growth in the developing markets.
Following the acquisitions, the company noted that it has been able to expand its flexible packaging manufacturing footprint into South Africa and speed up growth in India by improving capability to serve the customers in the southern parts of the country.
Prior investments seem to be paying off. During the nine months ending 30th September Hutamaki reported 10 percent growth in net sales to €855 million (US$947.6m) boosted by a strong third quarter
