POLAND – Irish corrugated packaging company, Smurfit Kappa has completed its latest investment project in Poland, expanding its Pruszków corrugated plant.
The investment means the Pruszków corrugated plant is now one of the most high-tech packaging plants in Europe.
The new technology includes a high-tech corrugator and ultra-modern converting machinery, with the plant also getting a new finished goods warehouse that has the capacity for more than 12,000 pallets.
“This project took just over one year to complete and will enable us to continue to pursue our strategic goal of being the supplier of choice to our customers, particularly those looking for the most innovative and sustainable packaging solutions,” said chief executive of Smurfit Kappa North-East Europe, Jacek Nieweglowski,
This expansion project commenced in April 2021 with an investment of approximately €40 million (US$43.54 m).
The 37,500m² extended facility has been installed with a variety of new ultra-modern converting machinery as well as a high-tech corrugator.
The new investment will now allow Smurfit Kappa to boost its annual production of boxes to around 500 million.
Smurfit Kappa Europe CEO Saverio Mayer added: “This significant investment marks our strategic commitment to our presence in Poland and Eastern Europe.
“The Pruszków plant is integral to our business and has a talented and skilled workforce fully committed to delivering the best service to our customers.”
The plant is projected to create approximately 50 additional new employment roles that will eventually bring the overall job count at this Pruszków site to over 250.
The 50 new job roles will mainly serve the company’s customer portfolio, which comprises some brands in the fast-moving consumer goods food and beverage businesses.
The recruits will be responsible for handling Smurfit Kappa’s international and local customers.
Meanwhile, in March, the Irish company announced an investment of €27 million (US$28.8m) in a state-of-the-art new waste management and recovery facility at its Nervión paper mill in Iurreta, Spain.
The company said that the investment will see the mill adopt a fully circular production process involving the biggest landfill reduction project Smurfit Kappa has undertaken to date.
It will also install a lime kiln and gas treatment system, a fully circular production process with the capacity to produce 120 tonnes of lime a day.
More recently, Smurfit Kappa posted a 13% year-over-year rise in its earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) to €579m (US$634.73m) in the first quarter (Q1) of 2023.
During Q1 2023, the company registered a return on capital employed (ROCE) of 21.6%, compared to the same period a year ago.
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