Mars Wrigley Australia has made a sizeable investment in local manufacturing, commissioning a new production line at its Asquith facility in New South Wales to boost capacity and drive packaging sustainability.
The $6.5 million investment will increase output at the gum and mints factory by more than 60 per cent, supporting the production of popular Extra gum sugar-free bottle flavours including Spearmint, White Spearmint, Intense Mint, Peppermint, White Peppermint, White Bubblemint, and Strawberry.
The upgrade also includes circular-by-design packaging technology aimed at reducing plastic waste. According to the company, the new line will eliminate 13 tonnes of soft plastics annually and remove the need for approximately 2200 kilometres of soft-plastic wrap each year.
“This investment provides significant additional capacity to deliver the products our customers love and enjoy,” said Daniel Firth, plant manager at Mars Wrigley Australia. “Our engineers and packaging technologist have been able to deploy new technology consistent with our goal of reducing the amount of plastic packaging we use.”
Located north of Sydney, the Asquith site has been operational since 1958 and today employs 190 people. It remains the sole production facility for all locally made Mars Wrigley gum and mints products sold in Australia, including brands such as Extra, Eclipse, PK and Juicy Fruit.
Mars Wrigley has a longstanding manufacturing footprint in Australia, with operations in Bathurst and Wyong (NSW), Ballarat and Wodonga (VIC), and Wacol (QLD). Its Australian manufacturing history dates back to 1915, when the Wrigley company opened a factory in Melbourne. Wrigley was acquired by Mars in 2009.
Commenting on the latest investment, Mars Wrigley Australia general manager Michael Ryan said, “The Asquith site is an incredibly important part of our business and Mars’ history in Australia. Australia has always played a vital role for Mars globally, and this is reflected in our rich history and our track record of continued investment.”
Ryan said the gum and mints business remains a strong performer for Mars Wrigley. “This investment signifies our continued belief in the growth potential of the category, and also our belief in local manufacturing and the economic health and prosperity of our communities.”
