Krones opens second Taicang plant to expand packaging machinery output in China

Krones’ has inaugurated a second plant in Taicang, China, strengthening the company’s strategic presence in East Asia. The plant aims to support integration across manufacturing, engineering, testing, and service operations for the packaging industry. 

Krones’ newly opened facility covers a site area of approximately 120,000 square meters, with a total building area of around 74,000 square meters. The first phase of construction comprised approximately 59,000 square meters of floor space. 

According to the company, the two Taicang plants now form Krones’ largest production site outside Germany. 

Representatives from the Taicang Municipal government, customers and partners, suppliers, construction companies, and Krones employees attended the opening ceremony. An on-site visit followed the opening ceremony, forming part of a series of Krones events held in China this month.

Ralf Goldbrunner, member of the executive board at Krones, says: “With the expansion in Taicang, we are investing in the long-term development of Krones in China. We are systematically expanding our capabilities in manufacturing, engineering, and service. This enables us to support our customers in the Chinese market even more comprehensively and flexibly.”

Improving efficiency

The expansion focuses on key packaging production areas, including module assembly, complete machine assembly, machine testing, and automated warehousing and logistics systems produced by System Logistics, a member of the Krones Group.

According to Krones, the shortened coordination paths can increase flexibility and enhance collaboration with customers.

Moreover, an aseptic laboratory advances the site’s quality assurance capabilities. Among other functions, it can validate sterilization processes for packaging materials. It enables key validation steps for customer projects to be supported locally in China.

The expansion has been designed with an intelligent production layout, aligning material, production, and information flows. The automated high-bay warehouse systems are said to be able to ensure an efficient and flexible supply of manufacturing operations.

The Taicang production site operates in accordance with Krones’ globally standardized quality requirements. The company aims to provide comprehensive inspections, from incoming goods through every production stage to final acceptance testing, to facilitate consistently high product quality and reliability.

The new plant also incorporates a rainwater collection system, which is developed to cut freshwater consumption. Its intelligent building management systems are designed to support efficient energy use.

Advancing expansion strategy 

Krones is continuously expanding its presence in Asian markets. In 2025, the company announced the construction of a plant for the processing, filling, and packaging of F&B products in Vemgal, India. The company aimed to provide localized solutions and improve its regional customer services as India’s economy and demand for locally sourced products increase. 

Meanwhile, in Europe, the company expanded its process technology and filling and packaging equipment by purchasing the majority of shares in the German company GHS Separationstechnik and the Dutch Can Systems Worldwide. 

Recently, Polish beverage producer Wosana started operating its second production line from Krones. The move aimed to increase its production capacity while introducing more efficient and environmentally friendly technologies. 

Next month, Krones plans to showcase its processing, filling, and digital solutions for the brewing industry at BrauBeviale 2026 (Nov 10–12) in Nuremberg, Germany.