Wrapping up its three-year investment into its operations in Izmir / Turkey, Tetra Pak (Pully / Switzerland; www.tetrapak.com) announced that it is injecting another EUR 36m in new machinery for the facility. The money is the last in a roughly EUR 60m upgrade that began in 2012, when the Swiss group spent EUR 25m on a new laminator for Izmir – see also Plasteurope.com of 15.04.2013.

The upgrade, which will be completed in January 2015 when the new machines commence operations, will more than double the plant’s existing capacity to 10 bn packs a year. In addition, the facility – which has become an important export hub for the group – will produce a wider range of packaging, including 15 sizes and forms of “Tetra Brik” Aseptic 1000 Edge, “Tetra Gemina Aseptic” 100 Crystal, “Tetra Top” 500 Midi and “Tetra Top” 1000 Carton Bottle.

The group’s customer base in the region is growing, said Amar Zahid, who will take over as cluster vice president Tetra Pak Greater Middle East & Africa on 1 July. “During the last three years, our customers have launched more than 100 products in new packages,” Zahid said, adding that the company has been delivering 25 bn packs each year to more than 200 leading industry brands in the Middle East. “This investment is a clear signal of our commitment to growing together with our customers in the region,” he concluded.

The Greater Middle East has been one of the best performing regions for Tetra Pak, with annual growth rates of 10% over the past decade. The Swiss company posted sales of EUR 11.1 bn in 2013 – for details, see Plasteurope.com of 08.04.2014.