Last November, the Swedish cardboard packaging group AR Packaging acquired two packaging manufacturers: the Swiss K+D AG and the German RLC Packaging (more details here : Two acquisitions for AR Packaging ). But three months later, in a press release, the group announced that it wanted to "optimize its operational footprint in Switzerland" in other words, downsizing.
The group, which employs 5,500 people at 28 sites in 13 countries and has a turnover of 900 million euros, reports that "a highly competitive environment with increasing expectations of efficiency".
"We can run efficient plants in high-cost countries like Switzerland, as long as the infrastructure is set up efficiently." says Harald Schulz, President and CEO of AR Packaging. "The plant in Spreitenbach has not been running as expected for some time, so one scenario is to move a substantial part of the production from Limmatdruck l Zeiler."
The Limmatdruck l Zeiler site in Spreitenbach, which was part of the RLC Packaging Group, would be closed and the 150 employees would be laid off. These former employees could work at other sites of the group, emphasizes AR Packaging.
A major part of the business would then be moved to the Swiss St.Gallen K+D plant. According to the Swiss daily St. Galler Tagblatt This corresponds to the production of pharmaceutical, cosmetic and non-food packaging.
The St.Gallen K + D plant, which employs 80 people, would see its workforce increase from 20 to 25.
