Joint venture to open infant nutrition can manufacturing plant

Dairy company Ausnutria and Trivium Packaging will build a new infant nutrition can manufacturing plant in 2020, to meet the increased demand for infant formula products.

The new 10,000 metres-squared plus facility is a result of a €30 million joint investment between infant formula manufacturer Ausnutria and Trivium, a metal packaging producer.

Located at Ausnutria’s production site in Heerenveen, the Netherlands, the plant will provide a ‘wall to wall’ integrated operation with Ausnutria’s current dry blending and packaging plants.

According to the two companies, the facility will have the capacity to produce more than 150 million cans by 2021.

Having a dedicated can manufacturing process on site will assure the companies of the stable supply of cans to Ausnutria’s factories in Heerenveen and Leeuwarden.

“This large and important investment is a very good fit for Ausnutria,” said Bart van der Meer, CEO of Ausnutria.

He added: “The integrated operation and shared expertise with our partners will yield significant benefits throughout the supply chain, ensuring that products of the highest quality can meet the demands of customers worldwide in the most timely and efficient way.”  

Trivium Packaging was formed in 2019 as the result of a merger between Exal Corporation and Ardagh Group’s global food and speciality metal packaging business.  

Ausnutria chose Trivium as its long-term packaging partner following the opening of its Heerenveen plant in 2017. Trivium has previously supplied cans to Ausnutria from its plants in Hoogeveen and Leeuwarden.

As a result of the facility inauguration announcement, the companies have a signed a ten-year contract to produce different can sizes, all featuring trivium’s peel-off lid with rivet.

Woep Möller, CEO of the European Trivium business, said: “We are delighted that Ausnutria has chosen Trivium as its partner of growth and recognizes Trivium’s dedication to quality and hygiene in this highly demanding market.

“The wall to wall facility will be supported by our other infant nutrition manufacturing facilities and further increases our presence in this growing segment.”

New jobs will be created at the facility to join both teams.

Construction of the joint-venture facility will begin soon.