Accredo Packaging has initiated the expansion of its North America production facilities in Sugar Land, Texas, where it will add and equip an additional 200,000 square feet of new production and warehouse space. Upon completion, Accredo North America will span close to 550,000 square feet.
The expansion project is scheduled for completion in 2019. This third expansion will be in addition to the 170,000 square feet built for Phase I of Accredo’s Sugar Land facility in 2009 and over 175,000 square feet in 2013 for Phase II.
Utilizing 100 percent wind-generated electrical power, Accredo North America is the first flexible packaging plant in the United States granted LEED Silver certification under the USGBC rating system — Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. LEED promotes sustainable site development and material selection, water conservation, energy efficiency and indoor environmental quality. The company is also BRC (British Retail Consortium) certified (“AA” Rating), a global standard for food safety established in 1998.
“Accredo has grown significantly since its founding in 2009,” says Rex Varn, executive vice president for Accredo Packaging. “We attribute our continuing success to our company owner’s investment in leading edge technologies, including high-tech plant operations, a dedicated workforce and exceptional customer service.”
The company’s North America production facility has multiple W&H extrusion lines, providing up to 9-layer capability. In the third quarter this year, it will install a new W&H blown film extruder that will incorporate the latest technology, including inline stretching [MDO] capability. This technology will enable Accredo to produce light weight breathable films down to 11g/m2. Branded AccredoFlex Breathe-Lite, end-use applications include products as diapers and feminine hygiene products, as well as drapes and gowns for medical use.
In the last year, Accredo North America has also added two new 10-color W&H flexographic printing presses, with another W&H press scheduled to arrive by early first quarter 2019. In addition, a new 3-layer tandem laminator with registered over-varnish capability has been installed.
Accredo’s packaging solutions can be found in many retail grocers, offering a range of products from snack foods and confectionery items to frozen foods and pet treats. The company also produces overwraps for paper towels and tissue, and shrink bundle film for bottled water and other beverages. A pioneer in renewably-sourced packaging, Accredo was the first to produce a reverse-printed and laminated all-recyclable pouch.
Concurrent with the expansion of its North American Facility, Accredo Packaging has embarked on a major investment for a new manufacturing facility in Vietnam.
Eyeing significant growth opportunities within Asia’s flexible packaging market, Accredo Asia will open a 238,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in the Bình Dương Province outside of Ho Chi Minh City. Built to LEED Silver standards, the solar-powered plant is expected to open in the third quarter of 2018, with full plant commercialization by year end.
Accredo Asia will produce coextruded films, printed rollstock, printed laminated rollstock, standup pouches and wicketed bags, with a focus on sustainable manufacturing processes. The new facility will offer advanced technologies for multi-layer blown film extrusion, both gravure and flexographic printing capability, and extrusion lamination. It will also house high-speed slitters with laser scoring and venting, in-house graphic separations and plate-making capabilities, quality assurance and R&D labs.
Adds Varn: “Economic and political reforms have spurred rapid economic growth and development resulting in a growing number of multinational companies directly investing in Vietnam. Plus, with Vietnam’s emerging economy and more than 92 million people, Accredo expects the demand for flexible packaging in the country to grow considerably, bolstered by a strong development of end-user markets such as food and beverage.”
Accredo Packaging
