The plant is intended to produce packaging for various sectors, including industrial, agriculture, FMCG, automotive, pharma, and ceramics, and will service both Moroccan and international consumers
Smurfit Kappa invests €35m to build new corrugated packaging plant in Morocco. (Credit: Smurfit Kappa)
Paper-based packaging company Smurfit Kappa has unveiled plans to invest more than €35m to construct a new corrugated packaging plant in Morocco.
Located in Rabat, the plant covers an area of 25,000m². The new facility will allow the firm to deliver sustainable packaging solutions to its local client base rapidly and efficiently.
The plant is intended to produce packaging for various sectors, including industrial, agriculture, FMCG, automotive, pharma, and ceramics, and will service both Moroccan and international consumers.
According to the firm, the new plant will play an essential and strategic role in a sector where demand for corrugated packaging currently exceeds supply.
Scheduled to be operational by early 2023, the construction of the plant began this week after the first stone of the foundation was laid at a ceremony.
Smurfit Kappa Europe chief executive officer Saverio Mayer said: “We are very proud to announce the construction of this advanced new facility, the first of its kind owned by the company in Morocco.
“It will be located in an area with significant growth potential and create 300 direct and indirect jobs in the region.”
Mayer added: “Our customers will also benefit from our fully integrated and circular business model which will ensure a reliable supply of quality, value-adding and sustainable products.”
Smurfit Kappa Spain, Portugal and Morocco CEO Ignacio Sevillano said: “We are delighted that the first stone has been laid – an important milestone for the project.
“This investment is a reflection of our ‘think global, act local’ approach which combines our global scale and expertise with our local team’s best-in-class knowledge to understand and satisfy our Moroccan customers’ needs.
“The new plant will also incorporate an Experience Centre, our 30th worldwide, which will foster enhanced collaboration with our customers and provide creative ideas and insights.”
In January this year, the firm announced the expansion of its Fortaleza facility in Brazil with an investment of more than $33m.