New jobs at French packaging plant

15-Mar-2017 - Last updated on 15-Mar-2017 at 11:55 GMT

Linpac said the investment could also lead to new jobs outside of France

Packaging firm Linpac will create jobs and training opportunities after pumping over €7 million into a new production line at its Pontivy factory in France.

A new €7m production line at the French food packaging plant will “not only create new jobs, but will also generate training opportunities”, a company representative told this site.

Not only will the investment lead to new jobs in France, but Linpac aims to grow its sales teams across Europe, Australasia and the Americas as a result of investment.

“Employees are a key element of this project; their skills and knowhow will allow Linpac to deliver added-value benefits to fresh food packers worldwide,” the company told GlobalMeatNews.

Cutting plastic waste

The UK-based firm announced its multi-million euro investment at its Pontivy plant in France two weeks ago, but details on jobs and an exact value of the investment were not disclosed.

The €7m investment in new equipment at the Pontivy site will enable Linpac to manufacture high-barrier plastic films for food packaging. Lightweight and durable, the innovation is part of Linpac’s sustainability efforts to reduce the weight and carbon footprint of its packaging.

With a new production line, Linpac hopes to drive global growth of its lightweight, top lidding films.

Fresh investment

Teams at the French factory will be trained on the “innovative and unique technology” to the French Certificate of Progression Qualification (CPQ) level, Linpac said.

Investment in further equipment and training is also in the pipeline.

Linpac earlier said the investment would lead to “cutting-edge technology” at its Pontivy plant. The new production line will bolster its ability to manufacture high-barrier films with enhanced anti-fog and print properties.

The plastic film is used for tray sealers (the clear plastic film on top of some food packaging). The lightweight lidding is combined with recycled polyethylene terephthalate (commonly called rPET) plastic trays to create a packaging solution Linpac claimed was sustainable, thanks to a lower carbon footprint.

Linpac claims to be a market leader in the manufacture of plastic packaging for the food industry.