Huhtamaki streamlines manufacturing in the U.S.

Huhtamaki streamlines manufacturing in the U.S. Huhtamaki, the global consumer packaging group, is announcing steps designed to consolidate its manufacturing operations in the United States. These measures, which include the closure of one plant and the relocation of several production lines, are part of Huhtamaki's overall program to streamline its manufacturing operations, currently conducted in well over 70 facilities worldwide. By increasing plant specialization and the scale of operations, they will improve manufacturing efficiencies and enhance customer service. The rigid plastics plant in Mt. Carmel, Pennsylvania, will be closed, resulting in a staff reduction of about 155 people. Its operations will be moved to the existing Huhtamaki locations in Phoenix, Arizona and New Vienna, Ohio. The paper cup production operation in the East Providence, Rhode Island, facility will be relocated to the dedicated paperboard packaging plant in Fulton, New York. The move will result in a workforce reduction of about 80 employees in East Providence, while some 60 new jobs will be added in Fulton. East Providence, which currently has 225 employees, will continue its plastic packaging activities. Implementation of these decisions will start immediately, and the transition is expected to be completed by the end of 2001. Related extraordinary costs have been provisioned for. Headquartered in Espoo, Finland, Huhtamaki is a world leader in several categories of rigid food and food service packaging, and a front-runner in high-performance consumer flexibles. It has operations in 36 countries and approx. 18,000 employees worldwide. Business in North and South America will account for 35% of the group's estimated net sales of EUR 2.4 billion in 2001. In recent years, the company has acquired such U.S. packaging operations as Sealright, Tetra Cup, The Chinet Company, PRI and the Malvern, Pennsylvania, unit of Graphic Packaging. Enquiries: Mr. Markku Pietinen, Group VP IR & Communications, Espoo, Finland Tel. +358-9-6868 8361 e-mail markku.pietinen@fi.huhtamaki.com ------------------------------------------------------------ This information was brought to you by Waymaker http://www.waymaker.net The following files are available for download: http://www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2001/08/30/20010830BIT00010/bit0003.doc http://www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2001/08/30/20010830BIT00010/bit0003.pdf