Constantia Flexibles – a global corporation that develops, manufactures and supplies flexible packaging solutions for the pharmaceutical, healthcare, food and beverage markets – has announced plans to invest $12 million to expand its main U.S. manufacturing facility in Blythewood, South Carolina. Slated for completion in autumn of this year, the project will add 15,000 square feet of factory floor space to house several new pieces of packaging equipment and more than a dozen new employees.
The Blythewood facility manufactures custom packaging for the pharmaceutical and food industries, including packaging foils for blister packages, child-resistant packaging, and lids for portion controlled containers. The factory also houses equipment used for laminating, coating, rotogravure printing and slitting services.
The construction project marks the third of its kind for Constantia Flexibles’ South Carolina facility, which opened in 1997 and underwent expansions in 2001 and 2005.
“Like previous expansions, the current project reflects Constantia Flexibles’ solid growth in sales, and its leadership as a packaging innovator,” said Steve Godwin, Chief Operating Officer, USA for Constantia Flexibles. “More room means additional equipment and new employees to build further upon our successes. We’re excited as well as proud, and we look forward to the expansion’s completion this coming fall.”
The current upsizing comes on the heels of a particularly prolific 2012, during which Constantia built upon its established successes by launching several new products. The company’s new easy-PIESY is an aluminum/PET/aluminum lamination that – due to its absence of paper –requires less heat during the sealing process than traditional paper-back foil structures. No modifications to existing heat-seal lacquer are necessary, nor is additional tooling. The blister lidding’s also offers reduced sealing temperatures, leading to higher productivity and less stress on machines. Its paper-free design also makes it especially suited to cleanroom environments.
Another recent addition is Dispense Lid, which was developed as a means of dosing tablets, capsules or liquids from plastic bottles in a controlled, more compliant manner. Incorporated into a bottle’s closure, the Dispense Lid features a liner with a small opening that induction seals to high-density polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene bottles. The customized opening feature helps users dispense only the desired number of tablets or capsules, assisting with compliance and minimizing the risk of contamination to remaining product.
