Expansions: United Caps opens UK facility; Teknor Apex commissions German plant

Cap/closure maker United Caps has opened its new Dinnington factory in Rotherham, UK. The company says it has driven significant investment over the past five years by increasing the number of production facilities by 30%, including the Dinnington facility and plants in Malaysia and France. During the same period, the company has also grown its top-line turnover by 35%.

During the event, guests toured the 5,000 sq m facility, which has an option to expand to 20,000 sq m as business growth demands. Plus, guests were shown production of beverage and dairy closures underway and were introduced to the collaborative work the Belgian firm undertook with other industry players to develop a standard for EU-mandated Tethered Closures, a part of a sustainability strategy that was devised to keep closures intact, reducing waste and aiding in recycling. The design of the factory allows further sustainability improvements such as reduction in the use of cardboard and wooden pallets.

“We established the Dinnington factory as part of our Close to You strategy, establishing production facilities in strategic regions. This strategy is designed to give us a proximity to customers that enables us to shorten delivery times, promote sustainability and focus on products that are the most relevant to each market region,” said Benoit Henckes, CEO. “Our Dinnington location has been operational since 2020, but we were unable to officially celebrate and formally open it due to pandemic restrictions. We are delighted to welcome Mr Stafford to join us for this celebration, emphasizing the importance of these types of developments for the economy, here in the North of England.”

“This expansion to the United Kingdom is in response to increasing demand there for our products,” Henckes added. “We chose Rotherham because of its central location along the M1 and the availability of technically skilled people in that area. Henckes noted that the project represented an estimated EUR20 million investment including the first phase of machinery, is expected to increase group turnover by 15% in phase one, and will generate new jobs in the Rotherham area.

In other news, US compounder Teknor Apex Company has completed its new 50,000 sq m facility in Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany, which increases its manufacturing capacity of custom compounds and establishes a new European Centre of Excellence for plastics R&D. The site employs more than 100 positions in manufacturing, business support and commercial operations. The new Teknor Apex facility extends its technical capabilities and accelerates the technology developments.

The Rothenburg facility produces thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) and engineering thermoplastics (ETPs), ranging from general-purpose compounds to highly specialised formulations. An extensive laboratory will be used for developing new compounds and providing customers with design support, application development, as well as product and process training.

The firm adds that its new facility was built “with a strong focus on environment sustainability and holds certification for ISO 14001– Environmental Management and ISO 50001– Energy Management”. The plant utilises LED lights, a closed loop water system, heat recovery systems with heat pumps to support it, and meets requirements in heat insulation of the building.

“The team’s ability to complete the build and successful transfer of our manufacturing operations while in the midst of a pandemic is a true testament of their partnership and commitment to serving our customers in Europe.” said Suresh Swaminathan, president of Teknor Apex. “We are excited about our new laboratory which serves as a hub of innovation, serving the region as a source of customized formulations, application development expertise, and process optimisation.”

Customers in Europe will also benefit from the global capabilities and broad experience of Teknor Apex, noted Jan Duyfjes, General Manager Europe. “Teknor Apex has long served major markets such as automotive, electrical and electronics, and regulated applications such as food-contact and medical, and it is a source of knowledge in matters such as regional and global regulatory compliance,” said Duyfjes. “With manufacturing operations in the USA, Europe, and Asia, we can provide global support and supply stability to European customers with plants in multiple countries.”

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