Huhtamaki invests €6.8m in its Lurgan plant

The Finland-headquartered group is boosting production of its moulded fibre egg carton range

Foodservice packaging specialist Huhtamaki is boosting capacity at its Lurgan plant in Northern Ireland with an investment of around ￡5m (€6.8m).

The Finland-headquartered group's Lurgan facility manufactures moulded fibre packaging products including egg cartons and trays, and cup carriers.

The growing demand for eggs in the UK was behind the capacity expansion, the firm said. Installation of the new equipment will be completed in early 2016, it added.

Petr Domin, interim executive vice president of Huhtamaki’s moulded fibre division, said: “We have expanded our product range and improved our operational efficiency in the UK during the past years.

“More importantly, we’ve been able to differentiate ourselves from our competitors, offering real value and service to our customers.

“With this new, state-of-the-art machinery we invest in the future growth, and in serving our customers better.”

Last month Huhtamaki announced it was investing around ￡7m (€9.5m) in its Gosport operation, extending its manufacturing and warehousing areas at the site.