O-I will invest over €50 million to upgrade its glass packaging plant in Reims, France, adding new equipment and enhancing its sustainability credentials.
The factory predominantly produces glass bottles for premium wine producers in the Champagne, Burgundy, Loire Valley regions in France.
This investment will pay for all-new high-tech equipment, a new overall layout, and additional technical innovations, allowing O-I to produce bottles in three colours and in sizes ranging from 0.2-litres to Magnum-size.
The project includes the complete renewal of one of the plant’s two furnaces, as well as the addition of all-new industrial equipment on the attached production lines. The upgrade is expected to be completed by mid-2019.
The company claims that the equipment and furnace is more energy efficient than the equipment previously at the site, further reducing its environmental footprint.
O-I will also hire approximately 30 new employees in Reims to further strengthen the capability of the plant.
Francois Pierrot, country group executive, Southwest Europe, for O-I said: “This is a strategic investment to strengthen our position in the Champagne business.
“We will be able to serve our customers in the premium segment even better with improved flexibility at the plant and within O-I’s overall manufacturing network in France.”
Dallah Mekki, O-I’s Reims plant manager, added: “This €50 million project is a major long-term commitment to the Reims area.
“It represents one of the biggest investments in the region during the last few years, further bolstering O-I’s reputation as a strong player in the region and making the plant an even more attractive employer.
“In addition, the investment will increase the flexibility and logistics advantages we offer to our Champagne customers.”
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