Alexander Baumgartner, CEO, Constantia Flexibles, said, “We know about our responsibilities towards the industry, the end consumers and – first-and-foremost – towards the environment. Thus, we are not only focusing on developing more environmentally friendly packaging, we also designed the first plant in the world dedicated to produce sustainable packaging only. The plant named Constantia Ecoflex Ahmedabad is located in Gujarat in India, which is the perfect market to implement such a forward-looking project.”

Located near Constantia Flexible Parikh Packaging unit, the site aims to cater to food, pharma, home and personal care, among other segments.

After a construction time of more than two years, the plant has started test runs in September 2019. It has an area of 24,500 sqm, and employs close to 50 people. The company expects the number to be tripled by the second quarter of 2020.

According to Constantia, the decision to open a plant in India adhered to the country’s new plastic waste management rules, as it believes the Indian government can exert pressure on the recycling economy and support companies which advocate for less waste.

The solutions produced at the new plant will belong to its product family EcoLam, which is part of Constantia Flexibles’ innovative product line Ecolutions.

EcoLam is a lightweight mono-PE laminate suitable for packaging applications. Due to its mono-material structure, the material is fully recyclable, and its carbon footprint is approximately 32% lower than that of comparable products, claims the company. The EcoLam family comes in different barrier grades such as EcoLam, EcoLamPlus, and EcoLamHighPlus, which cater to a diverse range of products.