Page 32 - Plastics News October 2018

CompAny nEwS

Amcor announces US$25 million capital investment, plans for

workforce growth

mcor, a global leader in high-quality flexible packaging at Amcor.” As part of its commitment to the Madison
Asolutions, has announced plans to invest more than $25 community, Amcor partners with local organizations,
million to upgrade its Madison facilities starting in 2018 and such as the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation
into 2019 to expand capacity, improve quality and reduce and the Workforce Development Board of South-
waste while updating technology. The planned investment Central Wisconsin to foster local economic growth and
includes the acquisition of new machinery and updates provide training, development and good manufacturing
to existing infrastructure to enable expanded service opportunities for residents.
offerings for customers in the medical, pharmaceutical,
food and home/personal care markets. To mark the start
of the expansion, the company’s Madison Plant will host Mitsubishi chemical to sell its
a ground-breaking ceremony on Thursday, Sept. 20, at acrylic sheet business in Europe
12:30 p.m. Among dignitaries on hand to mark the start
of the expansion project and attendant investment will to STAG
be Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor Rebecca Kleefisch, and
Amcor Flexibles Americas President Tom Cochran.
itsubishi Chemical Corp. is selling its acrylic sheet
Mbusiness in Europe to Schweiter Technologies
AG (STAG), based in Steinhausen, Switzerland.The
102 million euro deal includes the transfer of MCC’s
European acrylic sheet business operated by Lucite
International UK Ltd., production site in Darwen,
England, and Perspex Distribution Ltd., the local sales
company for sheet manufactured by LIUK. Lucite
International became part of MCC in April 2017 when
the company merged with Mitsubishi Plastics and
Mitsubishi Rayon. LIUK was part of Mitsubishi Rayon.
“We are excited and proud to be growing in Wisconsin for
our customers in North America, and to be investing in
support of our winning teams and products,” said Amcor’s
Mr. Cochran. Amcor and Neenah-based Bemis announced
in early August an agreement for Amcor to acquire
Bemis and combine the two companies. Bemis is more
than 4,500 employees in Wisconsin. According to Amcor
Flexibles Madison General Manager Timm Goodmanson,
the expansion is expected to result in a close to 50
percent increase in employment at the plant. In addition,
Mr. Goodmanson said the project is also expected to
bring more than 150 construction jobs to Madison spread After the merger, Lucite’s acrylic sheet business was
across general contractors, subcontractors, and local and integrated into Mitsubishi Chemical’s acrylic operations.
Wisconsin-based suppliers. The U.K.-based operation had net sales of £126 million
in 2017 and employs 330. STAG is a leading European
“We are looking for more great team members to help us
achieve our tremendous potential,” said Mr. Goodmanson. plastic sheet producer with a strong presence in the
“We’ve got a great workforce, made up of people who acrylic sheet business.The Japanese materials supplier
are committed to safety, believe in delivering excellence says the divestment of the business will enhance its
for our customers and have real opportunities to grow partnership with STAG, based on a continued supply
of MMA monomer.

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