Danish food packaging specialist Faerch Plast (Holstebro; www.faerchplast.com) plans to double production capacity at its plant in Durham / UK by installing a new extrusion line as well as 11 additional thermoformers. The expansion, which will also raise the site’s existing workforce of 60 by 50%, is due to come on stream in early 2015.

First established in 2012 (see Plasteurope.com of 02.07.2012), the plant produces mostly CPET trays for ready meals as well as APET and PP materials for cold food and snacks. The expansion, financial details of which were not disclosed, will raise the site’s overall area by 2,000 m², mostly earmarked for stockholding capacity.

Group CEO Lars Gade Hansen said the decision to upgrade capacity in Durham “underlines the commitment” of new owner EQT (Stockholm / Sweden; www.eqt.se) to continue investing in the group’s growth. Faerch Plast was acquired by the private equity group in February this year – for details, see Plasteurope.com of 20.02.2014. Expecting further growth in the UK, the Danish group purchased a plot next to the Durham site that will allow it to raise its area to about 30,000 m² if the need arises.