Associated Packaging Technologies to Invest in Polypropylene and Multilayer Food Tray Capability

“This major initiative is based on our continued focus on the food industry, especially the food processors direct and the co-packers. We will be highlighting these plans at the upcoming National Restaurant Association show in Chicago in May.”

24/03/09 Associated Packaging Technologies (APT), which is one of the world’s leading suppliers of food trays, has announced plans to significantly expand its existing polypropylene and multi-layer thermoforming capabilities. The company has begun a multi-million dollar investment in its Cambridge, Ontario, Canada plant which will increase capacity for polypropylene thermoforming as well as enable it to manufacture technologically advanced multi-layer trays that satisfy high oxygen barrier requirements.

“We see significant opportunity for growth in trays for shelf-stable entrees, refrigerated, and prepared foods,” notes Mark Staton, the company’s CEO. “We will be expanding upon our existing polypropylene and barrier capabilities, and incorporating those into our proprietary rotary thermoforming technology. The expansion will provide an additional avenue for growth and is eventually expected to generate additional employment in our Cambridge plant.”

According to George Frederick, APT’s Vice President of Sales, Marketing & Technical Sales, “This major initiative is based on our continued focus on the food industry, especially the food processors direct and the co-packers. We will be highlighting these plans at the upcoming National Restaurant Association show in Chicago in May.”

APT is the world's largest vertically integrated manufacturer of CPET dual-ovenable containers for the food industry, the leading source for plastic food trays in the North American frozen food industry, the first supplier (in partnership with ConAgra) to bring recycled PET frozen food trays to North America, and a major source for plastic food trays in other markets, including food service, case ready meats, institutional, prepared foods, and bakery. The company has thermoforming plants in: Cambridge, Ontario; Waynesville, North Carolina; Chillicothe, Missouri; and Carrickmacross, Ireland. APT is a member of the Sustainable Packaging Coalition and NAPCOR.