ITALY – Swiss glass manufacturer Vetropack Group has announced plans to invest over US$417.6 million (CHF 400 million) in a new facility located near Milan in Italy.
Located at Boffalora Sopra Ticino near Milan, the new advanced site provides more flexibility in production with enhanced capacities and a focus on sustainable operations.
Vetropack said that the new site aligns with its goals in terms of quality and sustainability in the long term.
The glass plant is located around 25km away from the firm’s already existing site in Trezzano Sul Naviglio. It is expected to start production in the second quarter of 2023.
Vetropack CEO Johann Reiter said: “The Italian market is of great importance to us and, with its many global brands, plays a central role in our strategy.”
The new glass facility is being constructed on the site of the former Reno di Medici paper mill on a total area of 347,000m², of which 170,000m² will be dedicated to the actual production facilities.
Similar to the old facility, two furnaces will be turned on initially. However, the business anticipates an increase in production capacity of almost 70% compared to the prior location.
The plant is designed for capacity expansion in the near future. A transfer has been provided to each of the 301 former workers at the location, the firm said.
Vetropack claimed that the plant will incorporate high-performance and advanced technologies for more flexible, customized, and resource-efficient operations.
In addition, the new factory is being built using demolition debris from a defunct paper mill that had stood on the same property to reduce potential environmental pollution.
With the aid of recirculation systems, water used for manufacturing and the exhaust heat from the blast furnaces is reused as much as possible, and the most recent filter systems significantly minimize pollution, the company added.
Vetropack project manager Christoph Burgermeister added: “Thanks to modern equipment and processes, we can produce more flexibly and better meet the increasing demand for high-quality packaging, even in smaller volumes – so-called semi-specials.”
Raffaella Marzi nominated to the Board of Directors
Meanwhile, Vetropack Holding has nominated Raffaella Marzi for election to the Board of Directors.
If elected, the 52-year-old will take up her new position on the Vetropack Group Board of Directors in April 2023 and will be the second woman on the Board.
She is expected to replace retiring Rudolf Fischer, who first became a member of the Board of Directors in 2000.
Claude R. Cornaz, chairman of the Board, said: “Raffaella Marzi, like Rudolf Fischer, draws on many years of professional experience in the field of human resources.
“Bringing a new member with this expertise on board as seamlessly as possible was very important to us.
“Topics such as employer branding, talent management and management development have a high priority for us.”
Marzi is a member of the bar in her native Italy and began her career as in-house legal counsel for Beiersdorf.
From 1997 to 2000 and from 2001 to 2014, she worked for Baker & McKenzie in Italy and Germany in various capacities and was made partner in 2013.
Since 2019, she has been Head of Human Resources & Compliance. In 2020, she took on additional responsibilities as part of Sika Group Management.
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