USA – Canadian paper and packaging producer Cascades has invested US$9 million into its corrugated packaging converting facility in Piscataway, New Jersey, to purchase a printing press it says will further its growth in the Northeast.
Cascades opened the US$76 million Piscataway converting facility in 2018 to manufacture products from linerboard and medium mostly made of recycled fiber.
Upon its opening, the plant had an annual production capacity of about 2.4 billion square feet, and the addition of the Mitsubishi EVOL press increases that capacity by 17 percent, the equivalent of an additional 480 million square feet.
Mario Plourde, president and CEO of Cascades said: “The purchase of an EVOL press, one of the fastest technologies in the world, will allow us to continue our growth in the Northeast and increase our ability to serve our current and future customers.
“This US$9 million investment is part of our 2022-2024 strategic plan and is aimed at increasing our integration rate by adding additional converting capacity in the United States.”
Cascades says its Piscataway site, which currently serves the distribution and food processing markets, is one of the company’s newest and most modern facilities in its asset base.
The EVOL press is the plant’s sixth printing press and is expected to be installed by the end of April.
Currently, the plant serves the distribution and food processing markets. It is one of Cascades’ newest and most advanced assets with over 175 employees.
The company said that the latest investment will generate around 20 new jobs for various roles like general helpers, assistant operators, operators and shippers.
Based in Quebec, Cascades is one of North America’s largest containerboard producers, operating nearly 80 facilities across the continent.
The company provides sustainable and value-added packaging, hygiene and recovery solutions, employing around 10,000 colleagues in total.
Meanwhile, in November last year, Cascades announced plans to permanently close the corrugator at its Belleville facility in Ontario, Canada.
Cascades said that the shutdown will make the facility’s business model more sustainable as it will focus on converting activities as a high-volume, efficient and graphic sheet plant.
The move is part of a set of optimization initiatives for the company’s containerboard packaging platform in Ontario.
Cascades pledged to help employees affected by the closure by allowing them to transfer to other business units within the company.
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