Amcor Rigid Plastics Announces Major Expansion of Bottle Manufacturing Operations in Orlando, Fla.

ORLANDO, Fla., January 24, 2013 – Amcor Rigid Plastics, the world’s leading producer of rigid plastic packaging, has announced a major expansion of its southeastern U.S. bottle manufacturing operation in response to strong market demand for beverage and pharmaceutical packaging. The $20 million expansion in Orlando, Fla. also enables Amcor to centralize preform manufacturing and warehousing while delivering key sustainability advantages including improved logistics and shipping efficiencies.

Amcor recently relocated from an existing 168,000 sq ft plant near the Florida Turnpike to a new leased 500,000 sq ft facility within the Airport Industrial Park of Orlando, just a few miles from the former location. The multi-million-dollar investment funded major infrastructure work to convert an unfinished shell structure into highly functional space for manufacturing, warehousing, and offices. The new facility - already up and running - is for production of hot fill and cold fill PET bottles for beverages such as sports drinks and orange juice, along with HDPE pharmaceutical containers.

Amcor formally unveiled the new facility today during a grand opening celebration, attended by state and local officials. The company has operated as a bottle manufacturer in Orlando since 1979.  

“During this strong period of growth for our business, we’re thrilled to be able to bring our multi-technology and multi-material offering to this expanded new facility in Orlando,” said Larry Weber, vice president and general manager for Amcor’s North American beverage business unit. “Our focus is to meet the expanded needs of our customers while also attracting new business.”

Amcor has already started to produce hot fill PET bottles and cold fill PET carafes for citrus beverages. The company has also started production of HDPE and LDPE containers. Amcor will manufacture a majority of its preforms in house at Orlando, thus eliminating the previous cost associated with shipping in preforms.

The new expanded facility will eliminate the need for three offsite warehousing sites. In terms of future expansion, Amcor also has room to increase manufacturing. The current expansion is expected to result in a net increase of 29 new jobs with employment reaching approximately 150 workers by next year, according to Amcor plant manager Mark Lambrite.
 
About Amcor Rigid Plastics
Amcor Rigid Plastics is among the world’s largest manufacturers of plastic packaging for the beverage, food, spirits, personal and home care, and pharmaceuticals industries with 65 facilities in 12 countries. Amcor Limited is a global leader in responsible packaging solutions, employing more than 35,000 people worldwide, operating in 43 countries across 300 sites. Amcor supplies a broad range of plastic (rigid and flexible), fibre, metal, and glass packaging solutions to enhance the products consumers use in everyday life. Amcor also provides packaging-related services that help customers succeed through collaboration and innovation driven by art and science. Amcor is headquartered in Melbourne, Australia, and is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange.  For more information, go to www.amcor.com.

Contact Information

Shelley Steele

Communications Director

Amcor Rigid Plastics

(1) 734-302-2264

shelley.steele@amcor.com