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Breaking ground for our new DS Smith site in Erlensee

Fulda, 27th August 2015 – The construction of a new site for the DS Smith group begins in Erlensee (close to Frankfurt). On August 26th, 2015 the breaking ground ceremony for the new state of the art Display & Consumer Packaging plant took place in the area of a former air base in Erlensee. With this new site DS Smith will set a completely new standard for what the customers can expect from both the display and the consumer packaging category, while providing significant growth opportunities for the company.

‘As Display & Packaging strategists we want to delight our customers with creative displays, innovative consumer goods packaging and strategic supply cycle solutions. With our new site we are outstandingly prepared to meet the challenges of our customers and establish a basis for further growth. I’m very glad that we are starting the construction of this exciting development today’, said Per Vinge Frederiksen, Managing Director, DS Smith | Packaging Division Germany & Switzerland. 

In celebration of the breaking ground participating, in addition to Per Vinge Frederiksen and Stefano Rossi, CEO of the DS Smith Packaging Division, were other representatives of DS Smith, representatives of participating companies, Delfina Grundstücksverwaltungsgesellschaft mbH & Co. Vermietungs AG (builder), Goodman Germany GmbH (general transferee), Max Bögl Stiftung & Co. KG (general constructor), IE Graphic Engineering (Processanalysis/-planning), administration union development air base Langendiebach (seller of the estate), municipal planning department Main-Kinzig-Kreis, Erich Pipa, District Administrator of Main-Kinzig-Kreis, Günter Maibach, Mayor of Bruchköbel, Stefan Erb, Mayor of Erlensee as well as numerous honoured guests. District Administrator Pipa emphasised at the opening: ‘DS Smith made an excellent choice deciding for this site at Erlensee. We are very pleased, that this new site will create additional jobs in the Main-Kinzig area.’ 

About 45.000 sqm of the 88.000 sqm area will be developed, with production and logistic facilities and also offices, conference rooms and social rooms for the employees. DS Smith is investing in total circa 50 million euros in the new plant and the latest machine technology.

The production and 250 employees from the existing plant in Hanau, located about 10km away, will move to the new site, where the largest part of the display activities will be gathered. The number of employees will increase substantially as DS Smith fulfills its ambition of doubling its size.

‘Our customers throughout Europe want us to grow with them and we have responded with this exciting development’, emphasised Frederiksen. ‘This site will be the largest and most efficient of its kind in Europe, helping us to become number one in the Display segment. One of our Impact Centers, which are absolutely unique in our industry, will be located in Erlensee. Here, our customers can experience the impact of their display and packaging solutions in a real life customer environment, allowing us to help them increase their sales.’

‘As Display & Packaging Strategists we want to match the highest standards set by our customers’ states Stefano Rossi, CEO of the DS Smith Packaging Division. ‘To be able to do so, we have the clear ambition to position ourselves as best in class in our industry. This investments helps us to step-change our capabilities to better serve our customers across Europe and to deliver on our commitments to increase their sales, lower their costs and manage their risk.’

The opening of the new Display & Consumer Packaging site is planned for autumn 2016.

Breaking Ground for the new DS Smith site in Erlensee

Breaking Ground for the new DS Smith site in Erlensee: Michael Koch, works council chairman DS Smith plant Hanau, Tobias Häfner, Sales Director Consumer Packaging & Display DS Smith, Stefano Rossi, CEO DS Smith Packaging Division, Stefan Erb, Mayor of Erlensee, Erich Pipa, District Administrator of Main-Kinzig-Kreis, Günter Maibach, Mayor of Bruchköbel, Per Vinge Frederiksen, Managing Director DS Smith Region Germany & Switzerland, Marc Betz, branch manager DAL office Wiesbaden, Ulrich Metzger, Sector Director Consumer Packaging & Display and Michael Pfaff, Project Manager Erlensee, both DS Smith (from left to right).

Breaking Ground for the new DS Smith site in Erlensee: Michael Koch, works council chairman DS Smith plant Hanau, Tobias Häfner, Sales Director Consumer Packaging & Display DS Smith, Stefano Rossi, CEO DS Smith Packaging Division, Stefan Erb, Mayor of Erlensee, Erich Pipa, District Administrator of Main-Kinzig-Kreis, Günter Maibach, Mayor of Bruchköbel, Per Vinge Frederiksen, Managing Director DS Smith Region Germany & Switzerland, Marc Betz, branch manager DAL office Wiesbaden, Ulrich Metzger, Sector Director Consumer Packaging & Display and Michael Pfaff, Project Manager Erlensee, both DS Smith (from left to right).

Per Vinge Frederiksen, Managing Director Region Germany & Switzerland, and Stefano Rossi, CEO of the Packaging DivisionPer Vinge Frederiksen, Managing Director Region Germany & Switzerland, and Stefano Rossi, CEO of the Packaging Division, both DS Smith, are delighted to be able to serve their customers across Europe even better in the future, thanks to the new DS Smith site in Erlensee (from left to right).

This is how the new DS Smith Display & Consumer Packaging site in ErlenseeThis is how the new DS Smith Display & Consumer Packaging site in Erlensee will look like.