DS Smith Plastics is set to open a new rigid packaging manufacturing facility in Romeoville, Illinois, US.
The company intends to start production at the new rigid packaging facility in the last quarter of this year.
DS Smith will use the new facility for the production of polypropylene bubble-structure sheets for graphics, sleeves and single-use and reusable packaging for the automotive and pharmaceutical markets.
The company has invested in the new facility to meet the growing demand for its rigid packaging products in the US.
DS Smith said the new facility is the firm’s first rigid packaging manufacturing operation in North America, and will create new jobs in the region.
The company also operates six other flexible packaging manufacturing facilities in other countries.
DS Smith’s plastic division produces flexible packaging, filling equipment, liquid dispensers, rigid packaging returnables and foam products.
The plastics division provides flexible packaging solutions and rigid packaging solutions for the beverage market, while advanced packaging and component solutions for the automotive market.
It also offers rigid and semi-rigid packaging solutions, as well as polypropylene and expanded polystyrene (EPS) solutions for the pharmaceutical market.
In June this year, DS Smith signed a conditional agreement to acquire a majority stake in US packaging firm Interstate Resources from Merpas for $920m.
DS Smith and its US subsidiary DS Smith Holdings have signed the deal to buy 80% of the total issued share capital of Indevco Management Resources, the holding company for the Interstate Resources group (IRI).
The IRI Group operates two paper mills for kraft linerboard and recycled corrugated medium, two timber and lumber operations, three corrugated container operations, three corrugated sheet plants, and one corrugated sheet feeder.
