Multivac invests $2.9m to expand production capacity in Germany
Building work to add an extension to the production hall and to optimize all logistics and assembly processes has begun and is expected to be completed by April 2018.
Coffee, biscuits, snacks
Multivac makes packaging for products including cheese, coffee, biscuits and snacks among others.
“With this extension to our production hall, we primarily want to expand our production capacity in the sectors of conveyor belt labelers and inspection systems, to meet an increase in demand,” said Volker Gerloff, CEO, Multivac Marking & Inspection.
“Parallel to this, we will use the opportunity after completion of the building work to further optimize our logistics and assembly processes.”
This will involve reorganizing all the process sequences in Goods Inward and Stores, Machining, Assembly and Dispatch departments.
With the introduction of shop floor management systems, Multivac wants to implement more efficient planning and monitoring of operating processes, with a higher level of transparency, shorter reaction times and improved handling of resources.
The business saw the number of machine orders increase by 25% between 2014 and 2016, and last year the export share of the business rose to 77%.
Conveyor belt labelers
The growth is due to a rise in the sales figures for all types of machines, although the sectors of inspection systems and conveyor belt labelers showed the strongest growth.
The core market continues to be the food industry, but the sector of healthcare and life sciences registered a significant increase in turnover.
The plant in Engers currently employs 197 staff.
Following completion of the renovation the current operating area of 5,800m² will increase by approximately 1,600m².
Around 900m² will be taken up by the assembly/production and logistics areas, while 300m² will be made available for machining and welding.
It will also create 30 office spaces in an area of 370m² on the top floor.
The building work is due to be completed by the end of 2017. The internal work will follow in the winter, and completion is planned for the early part of 2018.
Multivac Marking & Inspection has been part of the Multivac Group since 1993. Its portfolio ranges from cross web labelers, transport conveyor labelers, link chain labelers, to carton labelers and direct web printers.
Meyn Food Processing Technology
The company recently signed an MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) with Meyn Food Processing Technology and Cabinplant to sell joint processing, filling, weighing and packaging technology.
The agreement was announced at Interpack 2017 in Dűsseldorf, Germany, (May 4-10) where Hans-Joachim Boekstegers, CEO, Multivac, talked about opening a €20m ($22m) factory in Bulgaria, its subsidiary in the Dominican Republic, and expanding its processing portfolio.
The first phase of the 20,000m² Multivac Bulgaria Production facility on Industrial Zone Bozhurishte will be completed this month.
The site will comprise production of parts, components for packaging machines, manufacturing, a warehouse, logistics and a training center.