- one of Europe’s leading producers of plastic containers for the food industry – is set to double production capacity in the UK following the planned installation of an additional extrusion line and associated thermoformers at its Durham-based manufacturing facility by early 2015.This key strategic move will ensure the company continues to meet its annual output for CPET ready meal trays and high clarity APET and PP materials for cold foods and snacks, including bakery, dairy, vegetables and cold meats.
Since it was opened in summer 2012, the purpose-built, 14,000m² plant has reported significant growth and currently boasts 60 employees, one extrusion line and accompanying thermoformers. It operates to stringent hygiene, quality and environmental standards.
As part of this latest investment, Faerch Plast will install a range of additional associated production equipment such as cutting-edge robot packing systems, cooling machines and compressors. The plant will also benefit from a 2000m² extension to boost stockholding capacity and 50% increase in headcount with focus on production personnel.
Lars Gade Hansen, CEO at Faerch Plast Group comments: “This on-going investment in Durham emphasises our commitment to local customers and further increases supply chain security for our wide range of food containers.
Lars continues: “This also underlines the commitment of our new owners, EQT, to continue investing in Faerch Plast’s growth. It marks a very important time in our business strategy and will help accelerate our expansion in the UK.
Joe Iannidinardo, Managing Director at Faerch Plast UK comments: “The investment also enables us to efficiently service our UK customers with an enhanced portfolio of products in a facility built to the highest standards of quality and efficiency,” Joe concludes. “We remain dedicated to investing in our customers’ futures and to growing our business.”
In line with its environmental objectives, Faerch Plast has been successful in offering a closed loop – Cradle to Cradle – process for the manufacture of trays from post- consumer recycled PET, or rPET. In this context a good example is the in-market trial programme aimed at significantly increasing the number of black CPET trays that are recycled, which Faerch Plast, M&S, Sainsbury’s and leading industry organisations have launched.
Food grade rPET flakes are purchased from two of the UK’s top plastics recycling companies. Further cleaning and careful control of the extrusion and thermoforming process at Durham ensures maximum recycled content.
Faerch Plast A/S has also acquired a plot adjacent to the factory, and as a consequence now has 30,000m² of industrial site at its disposal in Durham, This will allow for the possibility of further expansion as demand increases.
Since it was established in 1969, Faerch Plast has built an unrivalled reputation for high quality plastics packaging products, supplying major blue chip customers in the ready meal, fresh meat, cold foods and snacks and ambient food sectors with a wide range of containers and trays produced from PS, CPET, APET, PP, MAPET® II and AMPET®.
