DS Smith Packaging has opened a purpose-built clean room manufacturing facility at its Wellingborough plant in Northamptonshire, UK.
The new plant will enable the leading corrugated packaging company to pack foods, pharmaceuticals and electronics in a sanitised, safe environment.
Equipped with full BRC/IOP High Risk Global Standard food accreditation, the new DS Smith clean room facility is already producing innovative new baking trays manufactured with corrugated sheet from DS Smith Packaging’s sister plant at Kettering.
The speciality papers incorporated into the board allow direct food contact, which means that the trays can be used in a similar way to consumer baking trays – food manufacturers can put a wide range of ingredients into the trays without liners, and then into the oven for cooking.
“We are seeing an increasing demand from food, pharmaceutical and electronic manufacturers for their packaging to be produced in this kind of environment,” says Dominic Drew, MD at DS Smith Packaging Sheet Plants.
“It’s great news for our customers that we were able to secure the significant investment required for this state-of-the-art facility, which will create new jobs in Wellingborough alongside our existing box making plant.”
Richard Davison, regional sales director at DS Smith Packaging adds: “Following numerous food safety issues over the last 12 months, product contamination has become a vital issue in the food supply chain.
“The events have only served to focus our customers’ minds, not only on the need for hygiene and full traceability, but also the complete chain of custody for their food ingredients and packaging products.
“The clean room at Wellingborough will help us to provide that.”
