Smurfit Kappa invests $37M in Moroccan packaging plant

Smurfit Kappa, a paper-based packaging company headquartered in Dublin, has announced the investment of more than 35 million euro ($37 million) in the construction of a new packaging plant in Morocco—the first corrugated plant in the country.

Construction on the nearly 27,000-square-foot facility, which will be located in the capital city of Rabat, began in late May, with operations expected to commence early next year.

“We are very proud to announce the construction of this advanced new facility, the first of its kind owned by the company in Morocco,” Smurfit Kappa Europe CEO Saverio Mayer says. “It will be located in an area with significant growth potential and create 300 direct and indirect jobs in the region.”

The company says the facility will create packaging for the industrial, agricultural, fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), automotive, pharmaceutical and ceramics sectors, and serve both local customers and multinationals based in Morocco, adding that in a market where demand for corrugated packaging currently exceeds supply, the plant will “play an important and strategic role.”

“Our customers will also benefit from our fully integrated and circular business model, which will ensure a reliable supply of quality, value-adding and sustainable products,” Mayer adds.

Smurfit Kappa Spain CEO Ignacio Sevillano says the Moroccan facility also will incorporate a Smurfit Kappa Experience Centre—the 30^th overall worldwide. The company uses the centers to allow customers to explore how paper and packaging can meet their business needs, learn from behavioral insights, analyze supply-chain trends and observe paper and packaging design tools.

“[This] will foster enhanced collaboration with our customers and provide creative ideas and insights,” Sevillano adds.

Edwin Goffard, chief operating officer of corrugated and converting of Smurfit Kappa Europe, adds, “This new plant is being built at the right time and in the right place. High demand for corrugated is ongoing, and customers want to know that their products are being transported and presented in the most efficient and sustainable way.”

He continues, “We use the huge wealth of data gained from working with over 65,000 customers worldwide to identify the best solution for the task at hand.”

In January, Smurfit Kappa also announced a $33 million investment to expand the capacity of its plant in Fortaleza, Brazil, citing the “growing demand for more innovative and sustainable packaging.”

The expansion included the installation of a new corrugator, several high-end printers and an innovation center to foster customer collaboration and “enhance the development of impactful, sustainable and market-leading packaging solutions.”