Innovia to make £20m investment

Innovia Films is to make a £20 million (US$31.2 million) investment at its UK facility, which will provide capacity, environmental and R&D benefits.

The investment package will provide additional biaxially-oriented polypropylene (BOPP) film capacity and a state-of-the-art gas turbine at the site in Wigton, Cumbria. 

Innovia Films said the additional BOPP capacity will allow it to meet increasing worldwide demand for specialty grades of BOPP film. The investment is expected to increase Innovia Films’ global output by a further 10 percent, and will also support research and development work to accelerate product and market development introductions.

Work is to commence immediately and it is planned that the new capacity will be fully commissioned in 2015.

The decision to invest in a gas turbine was made a few months ago and preparation work on the Wigton site is already under way. The turbine will improve the company’s UK energy efficiency and performance, and will reduce the carbon footprint of all products produced at the Wigton site by 20 percent.

Iggesund Paperboard recently inaugurated a new CHP biomass boiler at its facility in Workington, Cumbria.

David Beeby, chief executive officer of Innovia Group, said: ‘This is very exciting news and another step forward in developing our company and supports our ongoing commitment to customer service, innovation and growth.’

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