Alcoa Inc. (Pittsburgh, Pa.; www.alcoa.com) has announced a $40 million investment in its Itapissuma, Brazil, rolling mill to increase production of specialty foils for aseptic and flexible packages. The expansion was announced at the ExpoAlumínio trade show in São Paulo. All additional capacity has been fully committed. Aseptic and flexible packaging made with specialty foil is a highly differentiated type of container in packaging. Leading food and beverage companies around the world use aseptic packaging, which allows liquid food products to retain more nutrients and taste, and remain ready for consumption for up to 12 months, even if unrefrigerated. The packages are typically a mix of materials such as cardboard type paper, plastics and thin aluminum.
The Itapissuma packaging facility is located in the state of Pernambuco, Brazil, which is in the Recife region, and employs approximately 700 people. The expansion is expected to add approximately 50 jobs at the plant following ramp-up of production. Initial work for the expansion is underway and commissioning is expected to begin in 2016.