Wihuri Packaging Oy has opened a new flexible packaging plant in Changshu, China.
The factory, which currently covers an area of about 5,000 square meters, could be expanded to up to 21,000 square meters in the future, according to Bomlitz, Germany-based Wipak Walsrode.
Matti Rovamaa, vice president and general manager of Wipak Group, said: “This factory is ideally positioned to support the Wipak Group's growth strategy in the fast growing Asian markets”.
Wipak Managing Director Jari Tevajärvi said: “We are now much closer to our customers, we can expand our service offer, and we can quickly and flexibly meet individual requests, not only for our Chinese customers, but also for customers from all over Asia. The new facility offers ideal conditions in order to serve our existing and also potential future customers in a region that represents one of the leading markets”.
“Wipak faces an exciting future. Our strong brands such as Steriking [have been] established on the market for many decades. The new production facility will now improve the marketing of our products. At the same time, we will also drive the Wipak brand and its associated corporate values – innovative and secure packaging. This first unit that we are opening today in China, and also in the Asia Pacific region, offers the potential for Wipak's further growth,” Tevajärvi added.
Wipak Changshu covers the full range of production, printing, and slitting, according to the company. The factory has been certified according to ISO 14644-1 and classified as clean room class 8.
Wipak and its North American sister company Winpak Ltd. comprise the packaging arm of Helsinki, Finland-based Wihuri Oy. Winpak, which is based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, makes flexible and rigid packaging company at 10 North American plants, in Canada, the United States and Mexico. The company ranks No. 11 in Plastics News' North American survey of film and sheet manufacturers.