The Wipak Group continues to expand in China. A new Wipak factory has started official operation in Changshu near Shanghai in the Eastern part of the People’s Republic of China on 19 November. This new factory focuses on the processing and conditioning of high-quality composite films for food and halthcare packaging applications.

Top quality packages are a growing trend in China. In order to meet the constantly high demand, the new Chinese factory has been prepared to focus on the production, printing and laminating of high-quality composite films for the food and healthcare markets.

Strategic milestone

Antti Aarnio-Wihuri, Chairman of the Board of Wihuri Packaging Oy, in his inauguration speech highlighted this was “an important milestone for the growth of the Wipak Group“. Matti Rovamaa, Vice President & General Manager of Wipak Group emphasized: “This factory is ideally positioned to support the Wipak Group’s growth strategy in the fast growing Asian markets“.

State-of-the-art platform for future growth

Construction work had begun in mid-December 2013. In the first step, the factory covers an area of about 5,000 sqm, which can be expanded to as much as 21,000 sqm in the future. A factory has now been completed “which offers the latest technology and which is setting industrial standards“, Managing Director Jari Tevajärvi said. Wipak Changshu covers the full range: production, printing, and slitting. The Changshu factory has been certified according to ISO 14644-1 and classified as clean room class 8.

“Our customers benefit from the additional capacities, from the available technical options, and from a constantly high quality“, Tevajärvi emphasized. “Our packaging materials meet all international hygiene and food standards“. In addition, the new factory will act as a vital service platform. “We are now much closer to our customers, we can expand our service offer, and we can quickly and flexibly meet individual requests, not only for our Chinese customers, but also for customers from all over Asia. The new facility offers ideal conditions in order to serve our existing and also potential future customers in a region that represents one of the leading markets. Wipak faces an exciting future. Our strong brands such as e.g. Steriking are established on the market for many decades. The new production facility will now improve the marketing of our products. At the same time, we will also drive the Wipak brand and its associated corporate values – innovative and secure packaging. This first unit that we are opening today in China, and also in the Asia Pacific region, offers the potential for Wipak’s further growth.”