Austrian packaging manufacturer Alpla (Hard; www.alpla.com) has reported record annual sales for 2022 of EUR 5.1 bn, a year-on-year increase of 27.5%.

The sales figure was achieved despite what Alpla called “significantly higher costs for energy, materials, staff, and transport”. The group did not disclose its profit for 2022.

The group said it had added 13 locations to its portfolio in the last year, taking the number of its plants around the world from 177 to 190. It also recruited a further 1,000 new employees, taking its total workforce to 23,300.

Alpla said its long-term goal was to grow by 4% to 5% annually. As well as expanding capacity across its core business, the group said it was also planning strategic investments in injection moulding, increased involvement in the pharmaceutical sector and the expansion of the global circular economy. “At the same time, there will be research into alternative, bio-based, and biodegradable materials,” it added.

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The focus is primarily on the growth markets of Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and North America. In recycling, Alpla has been investing more than EUR 50 mn annually in capacity expansions and technology development since 2021. The group plans to double the production of recyclates from its own plants by 2026 and supports the development and optimisation of collection systems worldwide.

In total, the annual capacity of Alpla’s recycling companies as well as joint ventures and cooperations is around 203,000 t for PET recyclate and 74,000 t for rHDPE. The group operates recycling plants in Austria, Germany, Poland, Mexico, Italy, Spain, Romania, and Thailand. Further projects are being implemented internationally, it says.