The Weidenhammer Packaging Group (WPG), Europe's leading supplier of composite cans, composite drums and plastic containers, inaugurated their newest plant in Bradford, West Yorkshire. Construction work on the 11,000 square-metre production facility - where the manufacturing of composite cans is already in production - was completed in July. WPG invested more than £10 million (approx. €11.5 million) in the expansion of its Weidenhammer UK subsidiary. All indications point to continued growth. In early 2012, WPG plan to launch production of high-quality plastic packaging based on In-Mould Labelling technology in Bradford.
The new factory building was officially inaugurated in mid-November (17 November 2011) with a grand opening ceremony attended by the Lord Mayor of Bradford and Joachim Baron von Marschall, Minister Counsellor and Head of the Economic and Financial Affairs department of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Great Britain. A new era began for the approximate 60 Weidenhammer UK staff with the relocation of the first production line in late August. "The new facility provides plenty of room for growth. Along with a well-connected infrastructure, it meets the highest production standards. We are all very happy with the new building and the local working conditions", said Paul Barber, General Manager, Weidenhammer UK.
Weidenhammer UK is one of the youngest - and fastest growing - Weidenhammer subsidiaries. In a joint venture with Chesapeake Packaging of the USA, WPG initially assumed responsibility for composite can production operated by the former Field Packaging in Bradford for a year commencing February 2008. At the beginning of 2009, WPG took over production operations completely and 100 per cent of the business. Since then things have been on an upward swing at the site. In just three years, annual production increased by 400 per cent from 12 million composite cans to around 60 million. Turnover increased just as rapidly from £2.5 million (€2.8 million) to a projected £11 million (€12.5 million) in 2012. "The development of Weidenhammer UK has been excellent in every way. The Bradford site has very quickly evolved into an important segment within our group - and we see further growth potential on the horizon in the UK", said WPG CEO Ralf Weidenhammer.
Highest quality standards and sustainable production
The new factory building at Royds Hall Lane provides the necessary space for further expansion in the UK market. Covering approximately 26,000 square metres, the new plant site is situated near the company's Bradford existing plant in Lidget Green. The ground breaking ceremony for the new plant took place shortly after WPG purchased the site in 2010. Following eleven months of construction, the first of three production lines was moved into the new building and launched operations at the end of August 2011. Nearly half of the £10 million (€11.5 million) invested in the new plant was spent on modernisation and new equipment. "We now have ultra-modern production lines that meet the highest hygiene standards along with state-of-the-art quality management", Barber explained. "Our packaging production facility is currently one of the most advanced in the whole UK". This is also true when it comes to the sustainability of production operations. England's first industrial photovoltaic (p.v.) system for generating solar power has been installed on the roof of the new plant. According to Barber, "The solar energy system produces practically all the power we need for composite can manufacturing operations at the site".
In Bradford, the WPG produces composite cans in three different diameters, including 73 and 99 millimetres, along with the British standard size of 93.7 millimetres. The cans are primarily used for snacks, instant drink powders, tobacco and other products. WPG mainly supply these cans to customers in the UK, including leading brand manufacturers like Kraft/Cadbury, United Biscuits, Premier Foods, Japanese Tobacco International and Symington's. The declared aim of Weidenhammer UK in the coming years is to generate additional business with existing customers and to attract new customers to composite cans. "We are currently the European market and technology leader within the composite can sector, and it is clear that we would like to gradually become the leaders in the UK", explained Ralf Weidenhammer. "The most important features in this respect are the high quality and versatility of our packaging solutions. Along with outstanding stability and product safety, the benefits include unique design options and maximum consumer convenience".
Generating new business with IML plastic packaging
The same benefits are available with packaging solutions from the Weidenhammer Plastic Packaging (WPP) division, which is also opening a production line in the new plant for high-quality plastic packaging based on In-Mould Labelling (IML) technology. Weidenhammer UK laid the foundation for its plastics business in England when they took over the Halifax-based injection moulding specialist L&D Mouldings in July. "The integration of L&D Mouldings has been successfully completed and we are currently producing seals and lids for in-house use", said Ralf Weidenhammer. "By mid-2012, we plan to expand our production operations to the point that we can offer customer specification IML packaging. IML packaging is not very common in the UK market and we see great future potential for our high-quality plastic packaging solutions".