BPI announces major investment in Ardeer facility

British Polythene Industries is investing £7m in the enhancement of bpi.industrial’s production facilities at Ardeer, Ayrshire. The investment includes two extrusion halls to house several film lines transferred from Stockton together with a new wide film line. This follows nearly £5m of investment in a new warehouse and a back seam conversion line used in the production of high performance packaging for a variety of sectors including the cement industry. The British based manufacturer is a leading global supplier of wide width polyethylene films for industrial, horticultural and agricultural applications and this investment reflects the company’s confidence in the opportunities available to it worldwide. The project will be undertaken over a 12 month period wherein the manufacturing facility will be developed and extended to house the latest high-tech film production technology. Most significantly, the site is investing in a new wide width extrusion line which will boast industry leading, highly efficient multi-layer capability. The new line will produce a variety of products in a range of thicknesses and formats to provide an innovative and technologically advanced wide film portfolio. The enhanced facility, which increases the Group’s capacity for wide film will enable BPI to take production of wide width films to optimum quality and efficiency levels and also to benefit from increased throughput and quicker turnaround times. The investment will secure the future of the site and will provide up to 40 additional jobs in a community which has seen local business closures and significant redundancies recently announced. The Scottish Government is supporting the project with a Regional Selective Assistance (RSA) grant of £730,000. Enterprise Minister Jim Mather said: “This project will not only secure the plant’s future but will also create new jobs and help BPI create a world class plant. RSA support shows the Scottish Government's comprehensive economic recovery programme is providing real help to businesses and I wish BPI all the best.” John Langlands, Chief Executive, BPI commented: “This new investment at Ardeer will raise its status as a world class manufacturing facility where, through the deployment of the existing high skill base, we can maximise the production of high-quality, technically complex film products.” He continued “The development of our wide width capabilities follows a comprehensive review of the business which will position it well for the future and enable it to build further on existing successes within the horticultural, agricultural and industrial marketplaces.” ENDS IMAGE: John Langlands, CEO, British Polythene Industries plc IMAGE: BPI’s Ardeer factory produces high performance industrial packaging

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