Swiss rigid films and foils producer Bilcare Research (Allschwil; www.bilcare.com) has announced an investment plan of more than EUR 50m, targeted at accelerating growth in the South American and Asian markets. The company said it had received the support of an international European bank for the projects, declining to provide any more details, or indicate specific locations and start-up dates.

Since its acquisition by India’s Bilcare (Pune; www.bilcare.com) in 2010 (see Plasteurope.com of 18.11.2010), the former Ineos business has been on a path of restructuring and reorganisation, developing from films producer to a provider of integrated solution concepts. As part of this strategy, the company in 2013 swapped its furniture business with the pharmaceutical activities of Alfatherm (Venegono Superiore / Italy; www.alfatherm.it) – see Plasteurope.com of 11.03.2013 – and also quit its PVC/PE food packaging films plant in Fucine / Italy.

Focused on the manufacture of films and foils for the pharmaceutical, cards, print and sleeve industries, as well as for special applications, Bilcare Research operates nine sites throughout the world. Its roughly 1,000 employees last posted sales of more than EUR 300m.