Amcor will invest more than $25 million to upgrade and expand an existing facility in Madison, Wisconsin.
The expansion project, which will begin this year and continue into 2019, includes the acquisition of new machinery and updates to existing infrastructure that will allow Amcor to expand its service offering for customers in several markets – including food.
The flexible packaging company broke ground on the new facility last Thursday.
“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 president Tom Cochran.
According to Amcor Flexibles Madison general manager Timm Goodmanson, the expansion is expected to result in a near-50% increase in employment at the site.
“We are looking for more great team members to help us achieve our tremendous potential,” Goodmanson said. “We’ve got a great workforce, made up of people who are committed to safety, believe in delivering excellence for our customers and have real opportunities to grow at Amcor.”
The project will significantly extend Amcor’s footprint in this part of the US; in August, the Australian-based company announced plans to acquire Bemis – the American flexible and rigid plastic packaging manufacturer – which already has a workforce 4,500-strong in the state of Wisconsin.
The two companies said a merger would create a plastic packaging giant with a “comprehensive global footprint” and “more balanced, profitable exposure to emerging markets”. Indeed, the combined company would have sales of $3.5 billion from around 30 different emerging markets.
They claimed the combination would lead to annual revenues of $13 billion, and cost synergies of approximately $180 million a year.
