Finnish-based Walki Group (Espoo; www.walki.com), which produces technical laminates and protective packaging materials, has officially opened its third Polish production plant in Wroclaw. With a capacity of 50,000 t/y and 50 employees, the newest member of Walki production helps cut lead times to two weeks as the necessary raw material are close by, the company said.

"Our main markets are in Central Europe and the Wroclaw plant is close to the growing markets across the German, Czech and Slovakian borders," explained Leif Frilund, company president and CEO.

Using extrusion technology, the greenfield plant was completed in less than seven months and began commercial production in July. The latest new facility now joins the other Polish sites in Jatne, south-east of Warsaw, and Kwidzyn, not far from Gdansk. It will initially focus on customers in the consumer packaging and forestry industries.

With a global workforce of 900 and additional production sites in Finland, Germany, the Netherlands, Russia, the UK and China, the company has revenues of EUR 300m.