October 4 (SeeNews) - Bulgarian plastic packaging manufacturer Ate Plast has invested over 20 million levs ($10.7 million/10.2 million euro) in a new plant in the south-central city of Stara Zagora to double its printed packaging capacity, the city's chamber of commerce and industry said.
Spanning 6.5 decares with adjoining warehouses and a total purchased area of 20 decares, the plant will produce flexographic and laminated films and packaging and create 30 new jobs, the chamber said in a statement on Tuesday. The company currently produces some 10 million metres of printed packaging per month, or 4,000 tonnes annually.
The project aims to enhance Ate Plast's competitiveness, ensure sustainable growth and expand its production capacity and product range through investments in energy-efficient technology, the chamber of commerce and industry said.
The new facility includes a storage area, an automatic storied cliche plate warehouse, two printing presses with room for a third, a lamination hall, a curing chamber for finished films and a hall for finished products.
Construction of the plant was carried out by Cordeel Bulgaria, while Castello Precast oversaw the structural aspects of the project.
Ate Plast also owns an extrusion and assembly plant and has purchased another 51 decares of land, where it is planning further investment and construction of a third plant.
Founded in 1994, Ate Plast is a family-owned company specialising in flexible polymer films and packaging. It exports nearly 70% of its production to more than 30 European countries, serving over 1,000 clients with a workforce exceeding 200 staff.
(1 euro = 1.95583 levs)