Amcor has invested $35 million in two new state-of-the-art innovation centres in Ghent, Belgium and Jiangyin, China, expanding its global reach for the delivery of its deep material science expertise and packaging development capabilities.
The two new innovation centres are both scheduled to be open and operational by mid-2022.
“Our innovation centres have already become trusted destinations for some of the world’s biggest brands as they work to improve both the sustainability of their products and the overall consumer experience,” said Peter Konieczny, chief commercial officer for Amcor.
“We’re excited to expand our global innovation network and remain the growth partner of choice for customers across the world.”
The two new centres will include differentiating features, which, according to Amcor, are in high demand from customers. These include:
- Immersive customer experience facilities to generate consumer insights, run co-creation sessions and conduct rapid prototyping;
- Advanced analytical and material science labs;
- Dedicated pilot manufacturing equipment;
- Packaging machinery that replicates customer operations to run trials without disruption to customer production; and
- The latest packaging recycling and composting know-how across multiple materials.
“Our innovation and design centres offer customers a unique space to test new ideas and technologies across a variety of materials and formats without disrupting commercial operations,” said William Jackson, chief technology officer for Amcor’s Flexibles business.
“Our customers will be able to access our innovation capabilities wherever they are in the world, and benefit from a seamless transfer of expertise and knowledge across the network.”
Amcor dedicates over $100 million annually to its research and development activities.
Amcor was the first packaging solutions provider pledging to develop all its products to be recyclable or reusable by 2025 and, according to the company, is on-track to meet that commitment.
