Huhtamaki’s Alabuga unit in Tatarstan is planned to commence fibre packaging production during the first quarter of 2022
Huhtamaki intends to further grow its business in Russia. (Credit: monicore from Pixabay)
Sustainable packaging solutions provider Huhtamaki has announced plans to establish a new fibre packaging manufacturing plant at its existing site in Alabuga, Tatarstan in Russia.
The move comes in response to the ‘fast development’ of the retail business as well as egg packaging industry in Eastern and Central parts of Russia.
Huhtamaki has already commenced preparatory work on the site with the production of fibre packaging planned to commence during the first quarter of 2022.
Huhtamaki fibre and foodservice Europe-Asia-Oceania unit president Eric Le Lay said: “Russia is one of our key growth markets. This additional capacity for moulded fibre egg packaging enables further profitable growth for us in Russia.
“The location in Alabuga, Tatarstan, allows us to better serve our customers operating in the fast-developing Central and Eastern parts of Russia.”
Huhtamaki’s Alabuga unit in Tatarstan initially served as a paper cup manufacturing site when it started operations in 2016.
In Russia, the company reported annual net sales of €108m last year and currently employs approximately 700 people across the two production sites.
Huhtamaki provides products that protect on-the-go and on-the-shelf food and beverages, and help prevent food waste.
Earlier, the company had pledged to achieve carbon-neutral production and make all of its products to be recyclable, compostable or reusable by 2030.
In August this year, Huhtamaki Group unit Huhtamaki Flexible Packaging Europe has integrated Germany-based APK’s recycled-content low-density polyethylene (LDPE), named Mersalen, into its flexible laminated packaging tube.
The firm selected APK’s LDPE, named Mersalen, which is produced using APK’s solvent-based Newcycling technology from complex polyethylene/polyamide multilayer film scrap.