Yesterday in Weinburg, Lower Austria, the expansion of the rolling mill at Constantia Flexibles' main plant, Constantia Teich, was officially inaugurated. Among the honoured guests were Doris Schmidl, member of the Lower Austrian state parliament, Vice President Chamber of Commerce of Lower Austria (WKNÖ) Thomas Salzer, District Commissioner Josef Kronister, and the mayors of the surrounding municipalities.
This expansion of the rolling mill promotes a more sustainable, local aluminium foil production and strengthens the stability of European supply chains, enabled by the €50 million investment from the world's third-largest manufacturer of flexible packaging. An additional 30 million euros have been invested in a new lacquering line in recent years.
"With this investment, we are making a clear statement for growth, innovation, and sustainability. By expanding the rolling mill, we are increasing aluminium foil production by around 30 percent up to 90,000 tons of aluminium foil per year, making our largest plant in the Group also one of the largest integrated producers in Europe," emphasized Daniel Winkler, EVP Aluminium Division & Group Sustainability at Constantia Flexibles. "At the same time, we are making a significant contribution to decarbonization, avoiding approximately 100,000 tons of CO₂ emissions."
Constantia Flexibles relies on state-of-the-art technologies from European suppliers for the overall investment. It includes three foil stock furnaces, a rolling station, a separator, three double chamber foil furnaces, the expansion of the high-rack-storage, and a lacquering line. The power supply will be ensured partly by renewable energies, including a large-scale, company-owned photovoltaic system.
Wolfgang Kitzler, Managing Director of Constantia Teich, highlighted the regional significance of the investment: "The expansion of the rolling mill not only strengthens our competitiveness but also the economic location of Lower Austria. We are creating long-term jobs and ensuring an independent, stable supply of high-quality packaging material for the European packaging industry."
"The industry is currently under enormous pressure. That is precisely why it is an important signal that a leading company like Constantia Teich is deciding on this major investment for growth, innovation, and future security. The Chamber of Commerce of Lower Austria is vehemently advocating for improved conditions for the industry – from relief in ancillary wage costs to competitive energy prices", said Thomas Salzer, Vice President Chamber of Commerce of Lower Austria (WKNÖ).
The expansion of the rolling mill enables Constantia Teich to increase its capacities, particularly in strategic growth areas such as coffee capsules, pharmaceutical, and food packaging. The first commercial production has now started.