Mexico City — Swedish packaging giant Nefab Group says it has doubled its manufacturing capacity in Zapopan, a suburb of Guadalajara in western Mexico, by building a 58,000-square-foot facility to produce sustainable plastics packaging for the data communications, electronics and automotive industries.
In a March 24 news release, the company did not reveal the size of its investment in the new plant but said it would employ 50 people there once the facility is running at full speed.
At another site in Zapopan, Nefab produces corrugated, foam, wood and plywood packaging. It makes heavy gauge thermoformed products in León, 140 miles to the northeast of Guadalajara, Mexico's second largest city.
Nefab said the new site will "provide end-to-end sustainable plastics solutions, integrating in-house design, production and reuse of packaging" in support of lithium battery, e-mobility, automotive electronics and data communications manufacturers.
"Specializing in thin-gauge thermoforming, the facility will produce recyclable trays and cushioning solutions designed to optimize primary packaging," Nefab said.
"By leveraging automatic thermoforming technology, the operation enables scaleable production while addressing industry demands for cost-effective and environmentally friendly packaging," it added.
Eric Wickman, regional managing director for Latin America, was quoted as saying: "By managing the entire process in-house — from design to production and recycling — we help customers reduce material use, costs, and environmental impact."
"Mexico is experiencing incredible growth, and Guadalajara has become a major hub for technology, manufacturing, and innovation," said Patric Vestlund, Nefab's executive vice president for the Americas.
"Expanding our capacity here allows us to be where our customers are, reducing logistics costs and improving supply chain efficiency. This is how we work — partnering with clients through our strong engineering backbone to develop tailored solutions that optimize resources, lower costs, and drive sustainability."
Plastics News has asked the company, founded in 1949 and headquartered in Jönköping, Sweden, to comment on the size of its investment in Mexico and future projects.
Nefab has also been growing through acquisitions in North America. In 2023, it bought Farmington Hills, Mich.-based PolyFlex Products Inc., a maker of trays and customized containers. In 2024, Nefab bought Plastiform Inc. of Irving, Texas, a maker of thermoformed cushioning products.