TC Transcontinental will spend about US$60 million (C$80 million) to expand a facility in South Carolina, a project that includes development of what the company calls "cutting-edge" recyclable flexible plastic packaging.
The Montreal-based company said the investment in Spartanburg will include a new film line to produce biaxially oriented polyethylene film and called the output "cutting-edge monomaterial recyclable flexible packaging solutions, providing high-performance polyethylene films with more heat resistance."
Work also will include ancillary equipment and a 120,000-square-foot expansion at the company's TC Transcontinental Packaging subsidiary facility.
TC Transcontinental Packaging, based in Chicago, operates a network of 28 manufacturing facilities in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Ecuador, Colombia, the United Kingdom and New Zealand. Offerings include extrusion, lamination printing, converting and recycling.
"Our investment in BOPE is a strategic decision that positions us to address sustainability shortcomings in existing offerings. This new equipment will advance the commercialization of recyclable film solutions to meet the challenging requirements of our different applications without sacrificing fill speed or performance," said Alex Hayden, senior vice president of research and development, innovation, sustainability and ESG at TC Transcontinental, in a statement.
Work already has begun on the project and TC Transcontinental Packaging expects completion in fiscal year 2024. The company, which is using Brückner equipment for the new film line, is in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2023.
"This new offering will be a game changer in TC Transcontinental's recyclability journey, demonstrating our commitment to distinguish ourselves and gain market share with innovative sustainable solutions for our customers," TC Transcontinental CEO Thomas Morin said in a statement. "Our offering aligns with our customers' desire to accelerate speed to market with recyclable products that also protect and preserve their contents throughout their lifecycle."
Along with flexible plastic packaging, TC Transcontinental is Canada's largest printer.