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Oji Fibre Solutions to invest in new Christchurch packaging operation
MEDIA RELEASE 6TH NOVEMBER 2019
Oji Fibre Solutions today announced it will invest around $100 million towards a new cardboard box plant development in Christchurch. The development will include the latest equipment to produce sustainable packaging products for the South Island primary produce sectors.
Chief Operating Officer of Packaging, Grant Fitzgibbon said, “We are delighted with this decision, it is a significant investment and will modernise our operations. The new facility will replace the existing Shands Road operation with a purpose-built building, state of the art box-making and printing equipment and more automation.”
The investment will achieve a more energy-efficient and sustainable operation providing for organic growth in production and allows the Company to continue to operate from Christchurch. Oji Fibre Solutions aims to complete the project in 2021.
“We will purchase the land and plan to decommission the Shands Road operation as we move into the new site. A small amount of equipment will be transferred to the new site and we will end our lease of the old premises when the project is complete” said Mr Fitzgibbon.
The Company believes the development will put it in a strong position for growth of the South Island primary sector in the coming years.
The announcement follows several large-scale investments by Oji Fibre Solutions in New Zealand and Australia in recent years, including a proposed $100M upgrade to the Kinleith Mill wastewater treatment systems, the recent $63M transformation of Tasman Mill, a $70M new box plant in Yatala, Queensland and a $30M upgrade of the Paper Bag plant in Auckland.
ENDS