Noted packager Berry Global Group is investing $8 million in equipment and enhancements to production lines making much needed nonwoven materials for protective materials to fight the spread of the coronavirus.
The expansions are slated for a spunmelt nonwoven capacity in Statesville, N.C., the Evansville, Ind.-based company announced May 20.
The additional equipment and expanded capacity are slated to be operational by December 2021.
The additions will help increase production of spunmelt applications used in the fabrication of medical gowns, face masks and other personal protection equipment that are in demand to help fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
The lines also support hygiene markets like baby diapers, adult incontinence and feminine care.
Robert Weilminster, general manager of Berry's hygiene business in the U.S. and Canada, said the investment "plays an important role in our global nonwoven footprint."
The announcement is another step toward expansion in medical and hygiene markets Berry has made in recent weeks, in part due to the ongoing pandemic and shortage of PPE. Earlier this month, the company announced a Germany expansion of extrusion lines and meltblown capacity.