UFlex targets Americas pet food market with Mexico bag plant

UFlex has opened a manufacturing plant for woven PP (WPP) bags in Altamira, Mexico. India’s packaging giant has invested US$52 million in the 10 acre facility with an annual production capacity of 80 million WPP bags, targeting the pet food market. 

“The commissioning of our first overseas WPP bags manufacturing facility in Mexico marks an important milestone in our strategy to strengthen our presence in the Americas and serve customers with greater speed, agility, and supply reliability,” a UFlex spokesperson tells Packaging Insights. 

“Demand for high-performance pet food packaging continues to grow across North and South America, creating the need for durable, reliable, and high-quality packaging solutions. Our WPP bags are engineered to deliver superior strength, durability, and product protection while meeting the evolving performance requirements of the pet food packaging sector.” 

Jeevaraj Gopal Pillai, president for Flexible Packaging and New Product Development at UFlex, adds: “Pet ownership is steadily rising across North and South America, driving increased demand for premium pet food and high-performance packaging solutions.”

“The North American pet food packaging market, valued at over US$12 billion in 2026, is projected to witness sustained growth, while Latin America continues to emerge as a high-potential market driven by urbanization, rising disposable incomes, and

growing awareness of pet nutrition,” continues Gopal Pillai.

“This growth trajectory is driving demand for durable, hygienic, and sustainable WPP bag formats that can withstand the challenges of transportation and storage while preserving product freshness.”

Laser venting and waste reduction 

Jeevaraj Gopal Pillai, president for Flexible Packaging and New Product Development at UFlex.UFlex says that the WPP bags produced at the site in Mexico are engineered for improved strength, while incorporating a laser venting technology to prevent mites. 

The bags are closed through a precision hot-air sealing technology said to be adaptable to different bag sizes and specifications for durability and product safety, according to the company.

The spokesperson continues: “The plant has been designed to meet the highest international standards of engineering, efficiency, and sustainability. Equipped with advanced European machinery, it operates through clean, low-noise, and emission-free processes in line with UFlex’s global ESG commitments.”

“It also features an in-house recycling unit and a zero solid waste discharge facility that maximizes material recovery, minimizes waste generation, and promotes responsible disposal.”

Recently, Packaging Insights discussed the latest developments in packaging machinery with Sumeet Arora, senior VP Engineering Business Marketing at UFlex, who argued that machinery is increasingly expected to become an intelligent manufacturing asset rather than simply a production tool.”

UFlex further highlights that the new plant houses an integrated converting facility that uses water-based inks, which it describes as more sustainable than conventional inks, operating at speeds of up to 300 meters per minute. It also features an integrated quality and environment control laboratory for product quality consistency. 

“This investment reinforces our long-term vision of delivering innovative, sustainable packaging solutions closer to our customers while strengthening our globally integrated manufacturing network.”

Also targeting the pet food market, UFlex recently patented a reclosable packaging solution that offers tampering detection.