TETRA PAK opens up $127.7-million facility
By Canadian Packaging Staff
General aseptic packaging Pakistan Tetra Brik Aseptic Tetra Classic Aseptic Tetra Fino Aseptic Tetra PakNew state-of-the-art packaging materials factory in Pakistan's company's largest in Middle East.
Lausanne, Switzerland – Tetra Pak is open for business in Lahore, Pakistan, as the state-of-the-art packaging materials plant take aim at the country’s growing market demand for juice and dairy in aseptic packaging.
Demand for dairy beverages, juices, nectars and still drinks (JNSD) in Pakistan has been increasing steadily over the past six years, with a 15 per cent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for dairy drinks and 16 per cent CAGR for JNSD.
With an initial investment of €92 million (CDN $127.7-million), the new factory in Lahore is Tetra Pak’s largest facility in the Middle East and reflects the company’s continued commitment to customers and consumers in the region.
“More urban and young consumers as well as an emerging middle class are transforming the food and beverage industry in Pakistan, demanding new, safer and more convenient products. We are committed to helping our customers meet these expectations, with best-in-class packaging and processing solutions,” states Azhar Ali Syed, managing director Tetra Pak Pakistan. “The factory will enable us to provide customers in Pakistan with faster delivery, better quality and more product options.”
Spread over 150,000-square-meters, the new factory has an initial annual production capacity of eight billion packages, manufacturing popular beverage cartons such as Tetra Brik Aseptic, Tetra Fino Aseptic and Tetra Classic Aseptic. The facility also has the capability of producing many new products, with the potential of doubling production to 16 billion packages. While the plant’s chief role is to supply customers in Pakistan, it has also begun exporting to other nearby countries.
“The new factory is World Class Manufacturing (WCM)-certified, a point of pride for the facility as it signifies a high level of manufacturing excellence,” said Tahir Hafeez, Tetra Pak’s Lahore factory project director. WCM is a set of concepts, principles, policies and techniques for managing and operating a manufacturing facility. It primarily focuses on continual improvement in quality, cost, lead time, flexibility and customer service.
“Being WCM certified means that our factory can produce superior products at lower costs, with minimal waste and great efficiency, all without compromising the high quality for which our products are known,” said Hafeez.
The new factory is outfitted with the latest technology, with many machines being introduced in Pakistan for the very first time, like the:
- two VT Flex 175 ES printing presses capable of operating at 600 meters-per-minute (mpm) using sophisticated in-line detection systems for product quality and the;
- three IMS T2 slitter machines that can operate at speeds of 1,000 mpm, offering high quality output with a short turnaround.
The facility also complies with stringent environment, safety and health standards, including ISO 14001 certification for its environmental management system and ISO 9001 certification, the internationally-recognized quality management standard which has led to implementation of Integrated Management Systems (IMS), further ensuringf the quality of Tetra Pak products and services.
For more information on Tetra Pak, visit www.tetrapak.com.
Advertisement
