US-based Simmons Pet Food has opened a new $60m (£47m) flexible packaging facility in Emporia, Kansas, US.
Image: The Simmons Pet Food's flexible packaging facility in Kansas, US. Photo: courtesy of Simmons Foods, Inc.
Simmons expects the new flexible packaging facility to meet the demand for cup, tub and pouch packaging formats and position the firm as the leading supplier of flexible packaging solutions in new markets internationally.
Simmons Pet Food president Jason Godsey said: “The expansion of our operations in Emporia signals to our customers that we are stepping up our game in a major way. We want to build strong and lasting relationships with our customers and flexible packaging is what our customers expect.
“Now we have the capacity and the capability to meet growing market demand and accentuate our leadership in the industry. The economic vitality of this region is a big part of enabling Simmons Pet Food to make this happen. We are Emporia Proud.”
The facility, upon completion of expansion project in 2022, will have annual production capacity of an estimated nine million cases of wet pet food cups and 2.4 million cases of tubs.
Upon reaching full production capacity, the new facility will create approximately 100 – 200 jobs in the area.
East Central Kansas regional development association president Kent Heermann said: “Today is a celebration of a job well done on the Simmons Pet Food expansion. This is the culmination of a long and successful partnership between Simmons, the City of Emporia and the Emporia RDA.”
Simmons said that the Emporia Flexible Packaging Facility expansion will increase the firm’s capacity for flexible production and packaging for select wet pet food products.
Simmons Pet Food manufactures wet and dry pet food and treats. It supplies products in a variety of packaging formats, including cans, pouches and cups to brands and retailers.
The firm currently operates three wet pet food production facilities, a dry pet food facility and a treats production facility. The plants are located in Northwest Arkansas, Kansas, New Jersey and Ontario, Canada.