DS Smith invests in Polish production expansion as fiber-based demand grows

DS Smith, an international fiber-based packaging company, is investing €25 million (US$27 million) in its production lines and machinery parks in the Polish towns of Kielce, Bełchatów and Sosnowiec. The move is part of the UK-based company’s growth strategy in Central and Eastern Europe.

“We are continuing a series of investments in DS Smith’s operations in Poland and reinforcing our market position in the region,” says Reinier Schlatmann, regional managing director of the Packaging Division at DS Smith Eastern Europe.

Katarzyna Kala-Kowalska, sales director and board member at DS Smith Poland, adds: “We are thrilled about these investments, which are enhancing our machinery capabilities and production capacity. They are empowering our team to deliver innovative packaging solutions and improve quality control that minimizes waste.” 

DS Smith anticipates that the investment will increase its annual packaging production capacity in Poland by approximately 25 million square meters and glued boxes by 7.5 million square meters. 

Improved packaging facilities

DS Smith has allocated €22 million (US$24 million) of the overall investment to expand the existing facility in Kielce, in the south of Poland.

The facility will be granted a new die-cutter Bobst Masterline 2.1 machine for greater automatization and precision of the production process in the flexography department. It produces solid laminated cardboard packaging solutions available to customers in industrial and FMCG sectors.

“The advanced technologies combined with our unique Circular Design Metrics capabilities and innovation led approach to design make it possible for us to meet a wider range of requirements and reinforce DS Smith’s position as a leading provider of sustainable packaging solutions in the region,” says Kala-Kowalska.

 DS Smith has allocated €22 million to expand its facility in the south of Poland.The company has also created a new production line for the DS Smith Easy Bowl solution for fresh food at its Belchatów packaging facility. 

The facility was opened in 2022 and offers sustainable packaging for customers in FMCG, industrial and e-commerce. Industry consumers may order consignments of fiber-based paper bag packaging solutions at a high volume.

The DS Smith Easy Bowl is a fiber-based alternative to plastic trays intended for fresh products such as meat, fish, meat substitutes and ready meals.

The solution aims to achieve an up to 85% reduction in plastic usage compared to conventional plastic trays. The new machinery is expected to bring about an annual boost of line efficiency by around 24 million pieces.

Sustainable solutions 

DS Smith has also invested in machinery for the production of sustainable and fiber-based paper bags. These products will be used in the e-commerce sector at the company’s packaging facility in Sosnowiec.

DS Smith’s paper bags are designed to be recyclable, durable and practical. They were designed in response to the company’s research indicating that consumers are increasingly concerned with the environmental impact of the brands they buy. 

The research finds that 40% of consumers have made a purchase contained in packaging that they deem to be too large in relation to the size of the product inside. Similarly, 43% of consumers say that they have bought a product that was packaged in too much plastic and adhesive tape. 

“By enhancing our production capabilities, we can provide our customers, leading FMCG brands, major retailers, e-commerce entities and industrial companies, with increased options for recyclable and circular solutions that will help them to achieve their sustainability targets and support consumer demand for sustainable change.”

“In line with this, we have recently reached a key sustainability milestone by replacing more than one billion pieces of plastic in partnership with our customers in advance of our Now & Next sustainability strategy target that was set for 2025.”