Alcan expands beauty packaging business
facility in Sarthe, France, as it moves focus from aluminium to
cosmetics.
The plant, officially opened on 14 June, will produce packaging solutions for the fragrance market for Alcan Packaging beauty. The company claimed that the new facility is 'industry-leading', using on-glass and high-tech gluing, ionomer resin applications, and complex packaging caps. "We are very proud of this new state-of-the-art facility that meets or exceeds the environmental and product hygiene standards for our industry," said François Luscan, President of Alcan Packaging Beauty. The opening of the new plant is the latest step in a company policy to concentrate on niche areas. "This new facility illustrates Alcan Packaging's strategy of improving our profitability through more specialized operations," said Ilene Gordon, Alcan Packaging's president and chief executive Officer. "We are increasingly focused on key market segments where we can leverage our competitive advantages in size, scope, and technology. The new site is an example of how Alcan is well-positioned to deliver long-term value to our customers in the attractive fragrance packaging market," she added. The company first broke into beauty packaging in 2005, when Alcan sold its European beauty bottle business, Decoplast, to IPH Group Spid. Alcan's packaging business had been battling tough conditions, particularly in light of the rising price of aluminium and continued consolidation within the industry as a whole. Last month, Alcoa made a $33bn (€24bn) hostile bid for Alcan in a move to consolidate two of the world's largest aluminium suppliers to the beverage and packing industries. The buyout will be decided at the end of 2007, and if it goes ahead, the combined companies will be able to cut about $1bn (€736m) out of their costs, potentially helping to keep a damper on the rising price for aluminium packaging and other products.
