Tetra Pak boosts Turkish output with lamination investment

Tetra Pak has invested €25m in lamination facilities at its Turkish packaging material plant, to lift beverage carton production capacity by 20%.

These include Tetra Gemina Aseptic and Tetra Prisma Aseptic, the company said, noting that its new ‘VT laminator’ was capable of laminating all types and sizes of carton, and will significantly increase plant output.

The new laminator starts production from January 2013, and the company said the investment (equivalent to US $32m) would boost site capacity from 5bn to around 6bn packs per year.

This would allow it to “deliver innovative packages with shorter lead time to customers Turkey and the Caucasus, and enabling export to the region,” Tetra Pak said.

A Tetra Pak spokeswoman told BeverageDaily.com: Part of the production will be exported to various countries including Iran, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Libya and Egypt."

Tetra Pak Turkey and Caucasus MD, Francis Goodenday, said that the investment would enable his firm “to meet our customers’ needs in a continuously growing, dynamic market” via faster lead times, innovative packages and benefits of local supply and support.

Data sent by the company to this publication shows that Tetra Pak cartons have the following sales ratios in Turkey: Dairy 49.3%; juices, nectars and still drinks 50.7%; Food 0.2%.

But why had Tetra Pak chosen to invest in the new site capacity now? Was it in response to a specific uptick in demand for certain cartons or products, or an investment in capacity to meet anticipated future demand?

"For the past years, Turkey has consistently registered one of the highest growth rates in the world," the spokeswoman said.

"We see huge business potential here for the following reasons: the national economy and Turkish companies continually impress the world with a solid display of resilience and resourcefulness."

She added: "In addition, this is a vivid country with a dynamic and young population, open to adopting the latest innovations in their lives. It is the perfect environment for the growth of the packaged industry."

Goodenday said that Tetra Pak had grown with its customers in Turkey, and beyond its business success had also made strides in promoting healthy milk by working in tandem with customers.