Avery expands South American presence

James Quirk reports from the inauguration of Avery Dennison’s new slitting and distribution center in Santiago, Chile

Avery Dennison welcomed around 100 customers and partners to the inauguration of its new slitting and distribution center in Santiago, Chile, in early November. The facility will supply its local market with the company’s range of self-adhesive products and allows for greater stock capacity than Avery’s previous distribution center in the country, which was opened in 1995.

The move underlines the company’s desire to continue investing in growing markets despite the financial troubles being experienced in the US and Europe.  

The center was opened by Don Nolan, pictured right, vice president of the company’s materials division, Joao Adao, pictured left, general manager, materials for Argentina and Chile, and Mario Herrera, national sales manager for Chile, pictured center.

The 2,500 square meter distribution center houses three slitters – each of which can be adjusted between widths of 40cm and 1.5m – and a team of 37 people will serve Avery’s base of over 100 customers in the country. Joao Adao explained that expansion in Chile was necessary to ensure a more efficient material flow, while the greater stock capacity will overcome the difficulties of importing materials into the mountainous regions of the country during the winter months. ‘The opening of this new distribution center reflects our commitment to our customers in Chile,’ commented Adao, ‘We can offer a faster and more consistent service with improved quality.’

‘Recent weeks have seen tremendous volatility in the financial markets,’ said Don Nolan. ‘Avery Dennison has been in the region for nearly 40 years and has been through many financial cycles, both good and bad. But, despite everything, we have continued investing and growing with our customers. We started a new production center with our V6 coater in Vinhedo, Brazil, two years ago; last year we brought new slitters to Chile, Brazil and Argentina, and this year we placed a new slitter in our Argentina plant. I believe that these continue to be truly exciting times for South American label converters – marked with tremendous growth potential.’

Avery Dennison was the first self-adhesive materials supplier to move into Latin America, opening a factory in Sao Paulo, Brazil, in 1969. Further plants were opened in Colombia and Argentina in the mid-1990s, and the company now boasts a presence of three plants, five distribution centers and over 1,800 employees in the region.

Joao Adao and Fabio Astegiano also presented the results of Avery’s annual survey, which showed a year-on-year increase in customers’ satisfaction, desire to continue buying from Avery, and propensity to recommend the company’s products. Adao underlined the company’s desire to keep improving its service.

Avery Dennison predicts continued success for self-adhesive technology in Chile’s rapidly growing wine market.