MOROCCO – Paper and packaging company, Mondi has commenced production at its US$16.99 million (€16m) green-field plant in Tangier, Morocco, which can produce 100 million paper bags each year.
The new facility brings Mondi’s total capacity in West Africa to over 500 million bags annually, helping to meet the growing customer demand for paper bags in the region.
This plant is Mondi’s fourth site in West and North Africa (in addition to two plants in Morocco and one in Côte d’Ivoire).
Mondi West Africa Paper Bags regional manager Hicham Jalal said, “It is really exciting to see the growth in the West African building industry.
“Mondi is uniquely positioned to deliver paper-based packaging materials directly to customers in the region, who benefit from a reliable supply of high-quality paper bags and local services.”
The sack kraft paper used by these locations is produced by Mondi, helping to ensure the security of the supply of packaging materials to the region’s building industry.
In addition, Tangier is ideally located within a free economic trade zone making it well-positioned to supply to neighboring countries.
Mondi Paper Bags COO Claudio Fedalto said, “This investment illustrates our commitment to growing our offering of sustainable packaging through our integrated value chain.
“Thanks to the excellent work and spirit of the local team, we secured, progressed and turned this project around incredibly quickly.
“Work on the ground started in January 2022, and we have already started production at our new plant. This excellent achievement was only possible thanks to the highly motivated local team.”
Mondi builds on its expertise
Earlier this month, Mondi helped Spain’s firm, Angulas Aguinaga switch to recyclable paper-based packaging for its Krissia brand chilled surimi sticks.
Mondi was able to create a solution that would be genuinely fit for purpose, protecting the chilled product while significantly reducing plastic – eliminating up to 20 tonnes of plastic every year.
Mondi’s FunctionalBarrier Paper is made from renewable and certified resources, responsibly sourced and delivers a range of benefits.]
The strong and tear-resistant kraft base paper is fully converted in-house by Mondi to ensure customized barrier protection of the food and sealability of the packaging.
Further to that, the paper packaging maker has collaborated with FRESH!PACKING, to design an innovative cooler bag, to protect and transport chilled or frozen goods home by consumers.
The Fresh!Bag outer layer is entirely made from Mondi’s durable kraft paper replacing the traditionally used unrecyclable, multi-material packaging while improving cooling protection by up to 2.5 times.
Certified as fully recyclable in Europe’s existing paper waste streams, the bag’s cooling element is created using pulp, which is encased in Mondi’s kraft paper.
The paper has a high stretchability, allowing easy sewing of the different plies to create a strong bag structure. The bag has a high resistance to tear and can carry large weights and sizes.
Extra security and convenience for the consumer is provided by the handle on the Fresh!Bag, which loops within itself easily, forming an open seal.
The bags are durable and can be re-used multiple times by the consumer. Mondi’s kraft paper also provides retailers with good printability for branding and messaging.
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