Jamestrong Packaging officially opened its new infant formula can line in Kyabram, Victoria, on 16 June, and PKN joined dignitaries, customers, suppliers and staff to mark the occasion.
The Kyabram facility is one of five owned by the metal packaging specialist in Australia and New Zealand.
The $10 million project – which includes a new factory over the road from the existing facility and the line itself – was completed within a year.
With the installation Jamestrong has introduced a number of innovative aspects, not least of which is the strict hygiene regime around can-making which aims to mimic what the company's customers achieve in their own production environment.
Speaking at the opening, John Bigley, MD of Jamestrong Packaging for Australia and New Zealand, said: “In this new positive-airflow building, we decided to invest in a ‘centre of excellence’ for infant formula. We called this new line ‘Kyabram 7’, with the first six can lines being in the existing facility over the road.
“We were the first can maker to achieve ISO 22000 with a clear link to hazards, so our Kyabram line 1, which is making infant formula cans today, is already of a fairly high standard, but this line we’re showcasing today takes us to the next level: we’ll be the only formally zoned hygiene controlled can line in Australia and NZ. There are facilities which have a can line within a positive environment, but not segregated itself separately inside a box.
“So what have been the drivers for investment? Really, it’s around the infant formula hygiene requirements. So, as our customers operate in their own facilities, it’s incumbent on the can maker to keep up with those requirements,” Bigley said.
“Certainly, we’ve seen growth in the infant formula market, both here in Australia and in New Zealand. Some product is for the domestic market, but a lot is going outside of Australasia, into China and the rest of Asia. And that’s really been supported by the great reputation of the food industry generally in Australia and New Zealand.
“Additionally, we have increasing quality demands. We need to be more and more sophisticated about how we make our cans and how we check their quality – including print. Another key thing is supply chain integrity and contingency. We’re talking about a very high value product, so part of our strategy is to have contingency in place if lines go down.”
Bigley explained that while 'Jamestrong’ is a new name in the packaging industry [branded by the company's new owner, the Shanghai and Yuanlong Investment Company Ltd.], the business has a long pedigree – 67 years in the metal-packaging business, starting in Kyabram as Southern Can company in 1950.
“We thank our new owners, Joan Wei and rest of the Shanghai and Yuanlong Investment Company Ltd. Board, for their faith in our long-term vision for the business; it is a really significant investment in the region that has been made,” Bigley said.
The new Kyabram 7 line gives Jamestrong in Australia a more than 120-million nutrition can per annum capability.
Complementing the Kyabram investment is the new KBA UV8 MetalStar 3 printing line at its Milperra (NSW) facility, due to be commissioned later this year. This will allow Jamestrong to turn around print jobs more quickly and improve print quality even further.
