Elldex Packaging is set to upgrade and replace its existing manufacturing facilities with a new 5,000 square metre state-of-the-art factory in Christchurch’s Dakota Park.
Divisional General Manager Murray Hine says the factory will be the first purpose-built flexible packaging facility constructed in New Zealand for many years. At a time when much of the packaging industry is outsourcing heavily overseas, investing in a local build may seem an unusual move, but Hine says the decision was driven by business growth and also underlines Elldex’s long-term commitment to the region and to the Christchurch rebuild.
“The factory will meet the rigorous compliance demands of producing high-quality, food-grade flexible packaging, while the suite of technologically advanced machinery will allow us to deliver the highest quality at competitive prices. It also keeps jobs local; we have around 100 skilled and dedicated staff at Elldex and it is important to remain based in Christchurch to retain that expertise.”
The factory is expected to be completed in the first half of the 2015 calendar year.
“With the support of our parent company, Hellaby Holdings, and an excellent opportunity offered to us at Dakota Park by Christchurch International Airport (CIAL), we expect to have this project scoped, planned and built within a twelve-month period,” says Hine.
Dakota Park is the business and commercial estate developed by CIAL, positioned at the central gateway to Christchurch and the Canterbury region. With direct access to Christchurch Airport and State Highway 1, the park is designed to offer seamless connections to markets across New Zealand and around the world, ideal for the fast growing Elldex flexible packaging business.
Elldex sources, manufactures and distributes flexible plastic packaging to the supermarket, retail, industrial, horticultural, dairy, meat, seafood and processed food sectors across New Zealand and Australia.
