Plastipak Packaging (Plymouth, Michigan / USA; www.plastipak.com), one of the largest US producers of blow moulded plastic containers and bottles made of HDPE and PET, is planning to open up two small production sites in Slovakia and the Czech Republic, along with a recycling plant (Clean Tech) in Slovakia. Since 1996, the US company with sales of USD 900m already has invested heavily to follow its customers to South America. Plastipak´s largest international customer is Procter & Gamble. Other customers include well-known suppliers such as Kraft Foods, Pepsi as well as Reckitt Benckiser.

Media reports place Plastipak´s central European headquarters in the Kechnec industrial estate near Kosice, Slovakia. The company´s investment in its new Slovak facilities is estimated at EUR 10m. If ongoing negotiations with one of its customers are successful, this could lead to an investment of up to USD 10m in a new plant in the Czech Republic, says Plastipak. If negotiations fail, the company will reduce investment at its Czech site to a minimum.

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Comprehensive Plastipak annual report for fiscal year 2003 ended 1 November, on form 10-K in accordance with US stock corporation law as PDF document (533 KB)