![From the viewing deck overlooking the new paper bag conversion line that produces multi-walled bags for dairy powder packaging in a world class food safety environment.
[Image courtesy of Oji Fibre Solutions]](http://yaffa-cdn.s3.amazonaws.com/yaffadsp/images/dmImage/StandardImage/OJI-image002.jpg)
Oji Fibre Solutions (OjiFS) has officially opened the doors on its upgraded and expanded multi-ply paper bag plant in Penrose, Auckland.
The new converting line can produce 48 million, 25kg dairy and food powder bags per year, bringing the plant's total annual production to 100 million bags.
The revamped facility ushers in a new era of growth and investment for the company [formerly CHH Pulp, Paper and Packaging that was purchased by Oji Holdings and Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ) in November 2014.]
Speaking at the opening, OjiFS chief executive Dr Jon Ryder said the $30m investment is "a strong sign of Oji’s commitment to New Zealand and [its] intent to grow the Oji Fibre Solutions business in NZ and Australia.”
Dr Ryder (pictured below left at the official opening with the Minister for Economic Development, Hon Simon Bridges) said the revamped facility provides a world-class food safety environment vital to ensure the integrity of the supply chain. He said the investment is part of a broader transition for OjiFS to provide value added solutions to the dairy, flour and sugar sectors.
The investment project has seen the extension of the plant’s existing hygiene hall and upgrade of a conversion line that produces multi-walled bags for dairy and food powder packaging. It entailed upgrading all aspects of critical hygiene, installation of state of the art bag-making equipment and the construction of an additional 3000m2 of onsite warehousing and associated facilities.
Purpose-built and equipped to meet the Ministry of Primary Industries’ guidelines for the design and construction of dairy facilities, the facilities also comply with stringent customer engineering standards for food safety.
In addition to supplying the dairy and food bag market, OjiFS' Penrose business also produces tens of millions of paper bags for a diverse range of market segments including cement, vegetables and food products.
Its current market is primarily domestic, however, the business has rapidly growing export volumes to Australia, the Pacific Islands and South America. Key customers include major dairy processing companies in New Zealand.
