Packaging under the hammer - news commentary

The website lists all of Newcastle-based PCC Packaging's assets as up for sale by online auction from June 28th to July 5th. The long-established factory, owned by Merino Pty Ltd, is to close with the loss of 53 jobs, with management citing increased competition from Asia, according to a report in The Newcastle Herald. All employees will receive their benefits.

Whatever the reason, Grays will be auctioning and accepting offers on two Flexo presses, an 8 and a 6- colour; two 1300mm slitter rewinders; a complete bag making/wicketing line, other converting equipment and six polyethylene extruders for making blown film and garbage bags from recycled plastic. Also in the sale are two thermoforming lines for making disposable plates and bowls and a host of ancillary equipment.


Grays business development manager Andy McCourt told Print21; "It's a massive plant by Australian standards with some very well maintained equipment. It's a great shame it could not continue in operation but on the upside, interest from other Australian converters has been strong and this means some of the major plant - and jobs to operate it - may remain here. Of course, there is also international interest in assets of this capacity."

Also coming up with Grays this month is a completely automatic skin-wrapping line for products on card up to 440mm x 225mm. After skin-wrapping and trimming, a robotic arm picks up the goods, packs them in a carton which is then sealed, labelled and choofed off down a conveyer for dispatch. It's only 4 years old and cost over $600,000 when new. So why is it up for auction? It seems the manufacture of whatever it was packing moved offshore - and the packaging went with it.







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