United States-based glass manufacturer Owens-Illinois Inc (O-I) today announced plans to invest $80 million to expand its Penrose, Auckland, plant and create more jobs.
The company said it would add another furnace and two glass container forming machines at the plant.
The Auckland expansion, expected to be infull operation by the first quarter of 2010, would increase the annual output of glass containers from the plant by 90,000 tonnes to help support the country's growing demand for glass packaging.
The expansion would create about 35 new jobs and provide the plant with the ability to make 2.2 million bottles a day once fully operational.
O-I also said it was closing its glass container plant in Toronto, Canada, after a global facility review of underutilised assets identified the opportunity to shift production to other O-I North American facilities.
The closure in September would affect about 430 employees.
"As we further realign our global footprint, we are committed to expand in those regions where we have an attractive growth profile as we do in New Zealand and contract where we have the opportunity to consolidate our furnace base and use it more effectively, which was the basis of the Toronto decision," chairman and chief executive Al Stroucken said.
"We will continually work to optimise our asset and furnace utilisation while at the same time expand in the regions where profitable growth supports new investments."
O-I is a market leader for glass containers in Europe, North America, Asia Pacific and Latin America. It manufactures 100 per cent recyclable glass containers.
Established in 1903, the company employs more than 24,000 people with 82 manufacturing facilities in 22 countries. In 2007, net sales were US$7.6 ($10.4) billion.
