Alcan to invest €17 million in Central European packaging market

Alcan Packaging, a division of Rio Tinto Alcan, will invest €17 million (approximately US$27 million) in the Central European packaging market. Alcan Packaging will build a flexible packaging facility located in the Novy Bydzov area, in the Czech Republic, to supply the emergent food market.

‘This investment will strengthen our position on the fast growing Central Europe market,’ said Ilene Gordon, president and chief executive officer, Alcan Packaging. ‘It is a new and important step in Alcan Packaging’s growth strategy implementation.’

The new plant will focus primarily on the production and printing of rotogravure flexible packaging. The plant is expected to be operational in the fourth quarter of 2009 and to employ 100 people in the first development phase.