Page 22 - Plastics News October 2020
P. 22
Arburg opens expanded Italian subsidiary Wipak UK upgrades conversion equipment to
aid innovation
njection moulding machinery maker Arburg has
Iopened an expanded Italian subsidiary in Peschiera lexible packaging converter Wipak UK has unveiled
Borromeo, near Milan. The company has remodelled Fplans for a £5 million-plus ($6.4m) investment to
the building and expanded it by 80 per cent. The 2,000 significantly enhance its capabilities and sustainable
sq m facility houses customer support and training product offering.
rooms, along with larger conference and events Specialising in sophisticated, high barrier films for
spaces. “With the expansion of the subsidiary, we are food products, the Welshpool-based manufacturing
sending a positive message for the future and underline site is investing over £5million in state-of-the-art
the great importance that Italy has for us as our most conversion equipment, which will produce flexible
important European foreign market,” said managing packaging solutions with significantly less plastic, a
director of sales Gerhard Böhm. He added that Arburg lower carbon footprint and which can be easier to
Italy is now ideally positioned in terms of product and recycle. “The new machinery is set to be in operation
service portfolio, personnel and infrastructure. “We by summer 2021 and will be a game-changer for Wipak
UK, giving us a unique value proposition for our
existing and new customers,” explained Managing
have been present in Italy for almost 30 years and are a
solid and reliable partner for production-efficient Director, Andrew Newbold. The sustainability
plastics processing. Our 42-strong Italian team pressures that we face are possibly the most complex
provides customers with support ranging from that I have experienced in my 24 years in the flexible
application technology consulting and mould testing to packaging industry. These are challenges that we must
training and excellent after-sales service,” continued overcome through true innovation and I find it
Raffaele Abbruzzetti, who heads the Italian subsidiary. increasingly frustrating to see examples of
The larger showroom now offers space for up to ten All- greenwashing in the market, from “environmentally
rounder injection moulding machines, presenting a friendly” packaging made from the same material
broad cross-section of the Arburg portfolio. Customers used to pack crisps since the nineties, through to
can test their own moulds on various hydraulic, hybrid “compostable” plastics claiming to be “plastic-free”.
and electric Allrounders, for example. In addition, Wipak UK's new conversion equipment is fully in-line
there are now special areas for Arburg Plastic with our promise to reduce our CO2 footprint to ZERO
Freeforming on the Freeformer and for the and will allow us to develop REAL sustainable
presentation of digital products and services relating packaging solutions with REAL benefits for our
to arburgXworld. The training area was expanded by customers, consumers and the environment.” The
around 30 per cent and now covers 114 sq m. A two-day investment project is aligned with Wipak UK's
open house event was also held to showcase innovative ambitious growth plans over the coming years, with
machines and applications. More space for the new conversion machines expected to create more
than 50 new jobs for the local area in the coming
ALLROUNDERs, consulting, training, and specialist
years.
conferences.
October 2020 22 Plastics News