DS Smith Packaging, a UK supplier of corrugated packaging, has opened a purpose-built cleanroom manufacturing facility at its Wellingborough plant in Northamptonshire, UK. The plant, which will enable the packaging of foods, pharmaceuticals and electronics in a sanitised environment, has BRC/IOP High Risk Global Standard food accreditation.
Dominic Drew, Managing Director at DS Smith Packaging Sheet Plants, said the firm was seeing an increasing demand from food, pharmaceutical and electronic manufacturers for their packaging to be produced in this kind of environment.
‘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,’ he added.
The factory 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.
Roy Waddington, Plant Manager at DS Smith Wellingborough, said: ‘In line with our carbon reduction commitment, the new building uses 192 solar panels which will generate sufficient energy for 50% of our total power consumption, when at full capacity.’
The new structure has achieved an ‘A’ rating for insulation, and boasts a range of features to ensure hygiene integrity and minimise the risks of cross contamination, such as CleanTrax ProfilGate, a tyre and footwear cleaning system for removing dirt, dust and moisture from forklift wheels and footwear at factory entrances.
Richard Davison, Regional Sales Director at DS Smith Packaging added: ‘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 cleanroom at Wellingborough will help us to provide that.’