Bottle capacity expansion nearly complete – Amcor

The division of the Australian packaging giant Amcor, is in the process of expanding three of its extrusion blow moulded polypropylene (PP) bottle capacity plants in US and Canada to address market demand for food and nutritional supplements packaging.

The firm said expansion at sites in Brampton and Batavia has been completed but the Fort Worth site is expected to be finished by early August.

Higher output​

The move will increase production of multilayer PP and high density polyethylene containers (HDPE) made with post-consumer content.

Laurel Spencer, vice president of marketing for Amcor Rigid Plastics North America, diversified products, told FoodProductionDaily.com: “The expansion across three facilities includes investment in new equipment, tooling, and infrastructure upgrade; hiring of technicians and workers; as well as conducting technical and safety training​.

“Amcor’s proprietary Gamma multilayer PP technology fulfils high barrier and high-temperature requirements for applications such as salsa, barbecue sauce, ketchup, syrup, and liquid infant formula.”​

Although equipment specifics were not revealed, an extrusion blow moulding capability was added to the Fort Worth and Brampton plants, which in the past only manufactured PET plastic bottles utilising stretch blow-moulding platforms.

Amcor said the gamma multilayer PP technology fulfils high barrier and high-temperature requirements for salsa, barbecue sauce, ketchup, syrup, and liquid infant formula applications.

The expansion will allow the firm to shift its manufacturing footprint closer to customers to deliver advantages including improved logistics and reduced transportation costs.

Business growth​

Spencer added: “These expansions support Amcor's growth by optimising footprint, leveraging extrusion blow moulding technologies across market segments and customers, offering broader product portfolio to the market, and providing value-added packaging solutions in growth segments​.

“[The] main purpose of this initiative is to leverage our extensive manufacturing footprint to serve market needs for multilayer polypropylene (PP) containers along with HDPE containers with PCR content for personal care and household uses​.”