Polymer Packaging returning to extrusion production with $10M investment

Polymer Packaging Inc. is jumping back into the extrusion business after more than a decade of absence.

The Massillon, Ohio-based flexible and protective packaging maker is spending more than $10 million on equipment initially and expects to start film production soon on a pair of three-layer, coextrusion lines made by Windmöller & Hölscher, the company said. Windmöller & Hölscher will be at K 2019 in Hall 17, Booth A57.

"Our team was discussing growth strategies in the spring of 2018. We decided to take an approach of asking our customers where they felt there were needs that we might be able to fill," CEO Larry Lanham said in an email interview.

And one customer asked whether the company would consider manufacturing film.

Polymer Packaging previously entered that business in 2007, but the CEO said the timing of that decision was "not ideal."

"The banking industry was failing and being bailed out, the resin market was escalating with ongoing back-to-back increases, and the economic conditions were unstable. This made the decision to exit a prudent one. The good business decision was to exit extrusion to ensure the ongoing health and longevity of the core business," Lanham said.

But that was 2008.

"Right now we see a lot of opportunity for growth and feel that there are markets that we can serve well. The base infrastructure, including the building, are in place and we have some relationships that can bring some initial sales to the launch. That led us to returning to extrusion," he said.

Polymer Packaging already sells a lot of items into the specialty film and bag markets where the company can offer stronger, thinner products from film made on W&H lines. The company said customers will help guide its journey back into extrusion.

"As to where the future takes us — we will let the market and our success stories give us direction," Lanham said.

The company website announces the addition for the company under the Polymer Film & Bag Inc. name.

Polymer Packaging's facility already had room for the new W&H equipment, which he expects to begin production in November. Manufacturing will take place in an existing 100,000-square-foot portion of the company, where the first phase of work was designed to accommodate up to six extrusion lines. There's room to eventually increase that number to 18.

The company expects to install a total of four additional lines in 2020-21.

Production will include bags on rolls, individual clean-cut flat bags and gusseted bags. The two lines will also make converter-grade, three-layer sealant film as well as stretch hooder and shrink films. Initial capacity is 20 million pounds per year.

"Most of the infrastructure was already in place, including plenty of clean power, high bay, rail and silos. We upgraded flooring, compressed air and chilling as well as line cameras to coordinate and record every foot of film production," Lanham said.