Austria’s Constantia Flexibles (Vienna; www.cflex.com) is investing EUR 4m in new capacity at its site in Weiden / Germany, to meet growing demand from the confectionery industry for film-based packaging. A 10-colour rotogravure printing machine will be installed to start production in the second quarter of 2017. In addition, a Duplex laminator, installed in 2014, will be extended in the second half of 2016 to a Triplex machine, which will be able to produce three-layer laminates in just one operation.

Constantia said it had invested roughly EUR 60m at Weiden in the last 10 years, including opening a research and development centre for polymer films and film laminates in 2015. Stefan Grote, executive vice president of Constantia’s Food Europe division, said Weiden had developed into a key strategic site for its film-based packaging activities.

This latest investment follows one announced two months ago for its site in Burgos / Spain where Constantia will spend EUR 4m to install a new narrow web printer and lamination machine – see Plasteurope.com of 09.02.2016.

The company supplies laminated and printed multilayered substrates of film and foil, for various confectionery products including chocolate bars, biscuits & wafers, pralines, coin foil, chewing gum, inner and outer wrappers, as well as twist film. Constantia posted sales of EUR 1.89 bn in 2015, with EBITDA of EUR 263m (see Plasteurope.com of 06.04.2016).