The worldwide supplier of metal packaging has invested around €20m on a new high-speed DWI line that will be located in its Moëlan-sur-Mer plant in Brittany, France. The line will start supplying food cans to the French food market starting in Q4 2010.
Lower cost line
DWI is a beverage process, usually used for two-piece cans, and is normally associated with high volume markets.
Impress claims the new line offers shorter process times and that it is the most cost-effective technique for same-size food cans.
The line will produce one type of can for all sectors in the food market and the company estimates that the capacity will eventually reach up to around 400 million cans a year, depending on customer demand.
“It makes good business sense for Impress to invest in technology that helps us gain cost advantage without compromising quality or flexibility”, said Francis Labbé, CEO of Impress. “DWI allows us to provide customers at certain volume levels with the lowest cost cans on the market, which is a clear advantage in today’s price-sensitive climate.”
The investment is Impress’ third DWI food can line in Europe, following a similar investment line in Deventer, the Netherlands in 2008, and Sutton-in-Ashfield, UK.
Impress is a global market leader said it is the largest supplier of seafood cans worldwide and the largest supplier of infant and nutritional milk powder in Europe. Based in Deventer, the Netherlands, the company had worldwide sales of approximately €1.8bn in 2009.