Plants: United Caps opens new Malaysian plant; Chroma completes US$1 mn expansion

Luxembourg-based cap/closure maker United Caps has officially opened its new manufacturing plant located in Kulim, Malaysia. During the event, it also launched a brand-new product designed specifically to meet the needs of the Asian market, known as 127 SAFE-TE for baby food safety and convenience with security features and a gold colour offering. Production of SAFE-TE for the Asian market will begin in Kulim in September 2020.

“We were pleased to welcome a large group of invited dignitaries and guests to the grand opening of our new plant in Kulim, Malaysia, yesterday,” says Benoit Henckes, CEO of United Caps. “The decision to build this plant was part of our Close to You strategy to better serve the Asian market. This proximity enables us to shorten delivery times and focus on products that are the most relevant to this important market region, as demand for our products continues to grow. It was also an opportunity to launch a new product, 127 SAFE-TE, our next-generation closure for infant nutrition. As we celebrate our 80th anniversary, we are also celebrating our transition from a European to a fully global organisation. The event was carried out live in all of our other subsidiaries throughout Europe as well.”

Reaching its 80th anniversary is a significant milestone that United Caps is celebrating throughout 2019. “Our long heritage in continued success in this business is a powerful endorsement of the level of knowledge and expertise we have been able to accumulate over the years,” Henckes remarked.

Meanwhile in other news, US specialty colour and additive concentrate supplier Chroma Color Corporation, a US$160 million-sales company, has completed a year-long expansion and over a US$1 million investment in its Leominster, MA, manufacturing operation. These investments included significant structural upgrades, new compounding lines, a dust collection system, new colour development laboratory, along with improvements to both warehousing and office environments.

Tom Bolger, CEO, Chroma Color Corporation stated, “As we continue to strengthen our position in the colour concentrate marketplace, we determined manufacturing site upgrades would be necessary to serve our customers growing need for technically strong partners. Today, I am proud to say Chroma Leominster has become one of our flagship sites for our customers and a true manufacturing centre of excellence.”

Because of the new investments and capacity expansion in Leominster, Chroma says it is pursuing opportunities to better serve customers across the entire manufacturing footprint. It is also moving its Clinton operations to the improved Leominster manufacturing site.

“This move is intended to streamline operations and better serve customers by integrating key operations into existing manufacturing facilities where we have more advanced lab and technical equipment leveraging robust analytical and formulation resources. The value we can bring to our customers will be strengthened by these improved efficiencies and capabilities,” said Bolger.