These investments are designed to support Pliant's core positions as an industry-leading bakery and frozen food bag supplier. Specific equipment involved in this expansion includes two new high-speed, wide-web, 10-colour process printing press lines; a new state-of-the-art 156" wide, seven-layer cast embossed co-extrusion upgrade; and, a next-generation electron beam polymer coating line.
"This investment is an important part of Pliant's overall growth strategy and confirms our long-term commitment to bringing value-added capabilities into the personal care market, the medical market, the frozen food market, the bakery market and the poultry market," said Ken Swanson, president of Pliant's personal care and food products businesses.
"Pliant plans to continue investing in technologies that strategically grow our positions with premier customers in these areas. These investments are designed to significantly upgrade and expand unique manufacturing assets that deliver world class innovation and raw material management into our target markets."
Swanson said that this is the first phase of a multi-year investment plan to make personal care and food products cornerstone franchise businesses for Pliant.
"We are a market leader today and we are aggressively expanding our capabilities and product portfolio into value-added areas in our effort to remain a supplier of choice for the premier customers in these markets," he said. "We are very proud of our business and we are excited about the value-added expansions that are underway. These investments will bring a lot of value to our food and personal care customers."
Pliant is a leading producer of value-added film and flexible packaging products for consumer food packaging into the bakery, frozen food and poultry industries. The company operates 25 manufacturing and research and development facilities around the world, and employs approximately 3,015 people.