AMCOR
Second restructuring phase begins in flexibles division / Two thirds of European film extrusion plants to close
Australian packaging group Amcor (Abbotsford; www.amcor.com) is to reduce the number of film extrusion facilities it operates in Europe from nine to three as part of phase two of its restructuring programme, "The Way Forward", that was launched three years ago. Amcor chairman Ken Mackenzie told shareholders at the company’s annual general meeting in October that the measures in this second phase will primarily affect the flexibles division and are scheduled to be completed by the end of the current financial year (30 June 2009).
An Amcor spokesman at the company’s European headquarters in Zaventem / Belgium said that four of the facilities are currently still in operation, at Ghent / Belgium, Ilkeston / UK, Lieksa / Finland and Tobefil / Spain. The company did not reveal which of these plants would be closed in the restructuring. The number of extrusion lines operated in Europe will be cut by 40% without any reduction in capacity through lowering the number of plastics types processed and extending operating times, the company said. Amcor aims to invest AUD 47m (EUR 24.5m) in expanding and modernising the remaining plants.
In the UK, the extrusion facilities previously based in Ledbury have been moved to Ilkeston and consolidation of the flexographic printing activities in Evesham has already been carried out. There are plans to sell two other plants in Sweden and the UK that manufacture packaging for meat and fish. In addition, the film extrusion line in Granollers near Barcelona / Spain will be closed and the capacity shifted to another site – probably to Tobefil, 300 km to the west. The film extrusion operation in Lyngby / Denmark will also be closed, along with the one at Helio Folien in Viersen / Germany, where 30 jobs will be cut. Further capacities will be shifted to the plant in Poland that was opened in May 2008 – see Plasteurope.com of 03.05.2007 – at a cost of AUD 42m (EUR 22m). The Polish unit presently produces packaging for snack products for PepsiCo.
In the financial year closed 30 June 2008, Amcor group reported operating earnings of AUD 657m, compared with AUD 732m in the previous year, on sales down 14% at AUD 9.3 bn. The company’s largest division, PET packaging in North America, reported sales of AUD 2.9 bn (AUD 3.1 bn in the previous year), followed by flexibles at 2.9 bn (AUD 3.0 bn). Amcor Australasia posted sales of AUD 2.21 bn (AUD 2.27 bn), while packaging distributor Sunclipse accounted for AUD 1.1 bn (1.25 bn).
e-Service:
Speech by Chairman Ken Mackenzie at the AGM as PDF document (59 kB)
An Amcor spokesman at the company’s European headquarters in Zaventem / Belgium said that four of the facilities are currently still in operation, at Ghent / Belgium, Ilkeston / UK, Lieksa / Finland and Tobefil / Spain. The company did not reveal which of these plants would be closed in the restructuring. The number of extrusion lines operated in Europe will be cut by 40% without any reduction in capacity through lowering the number of plastics types processed and extending operating times, the company said. Amcor aims to invest AUD 47m (EUR 24.5m) in expanding and modernising the remaining plants.
In the UK, the extrusion facilities previously based in Ledbury have been moved to Ilkeston and consolidation of the flexographic printing activities in Evesham has already been carried out. There are plans to sell two other plants in Sweden and the UK that manufacture packaging for meat and fish. In addition, the film extrusion line in Granollers near Barcelona / Spain will be closed and the capacity shifted to another site – probably to Tobefil, 300 km to the west. The film extrusion operation in Lyngby / Denmark will also be closed, along with the one at Helio Folien in Viersen / Germany, where 30 jobs will be cut. Further capacities will be shifted to the plant in Poland that was opened in May 2008 – see Plasteurope.com of 03.05.2007 – at a cost of AUD 42m (EUR 22m). The Polish unit presently produces packaging for snack products for PepsiCo.
In the financial year closed 30 June 2008, Amcor group reported operating earnings of AUD 657m, compared with AUD 732m in the previous year, on sales down 14% at AUD 9.3 bn. The company’s largest division, PET packaging in North America, reported sales of AUD 2.9 bn (AUD 3.1 bn in the previous year), followed by flexibles at 2.9 bn (AUD 3.0 bn). Amcor Australasia posted sales of AUD 2.21 bn (AUD 2.27 bn), while packaging distributor Sunclipse accounted for AUD 1.1 bn (1.25 bn).
e-Service:
Speech by Chairman Ken Mackenzie at the AGM as PDF document (59 kB)
31.10.2008 Plasteurope.com 770 [212101]
Published on 31.10.2008
German version of this article...