Finnish packaging giant Huhtamaki has commenced the production of moulded fibre lids for major food and beverage brands at its Co Armagh operation.

The company has invested in a new manufacturing line at its Dollingstown factory to make the fully compostable lids for both hot and cold disposable cups.

The Huhtamaki (Lurgan) operation is already a major supplier of fibre and pulp-based packaging for fresh food and beverages, supplying the likes of McDonalds.

The move into compostable lids comes amid the new legislative environment across the UK and Europe to end single use plastics in the hospitality industry.

Huhtamaki, which acquired the Co Armagh factory in 1999, currently employ around 300 people across its sites in Dollingstown and Lisburn.

The company said its latest investment in will increase its global capacity and footprint in SMF (smooth moulded fibre) products, complementing its existing SMF production sites in Germany, Holland, and the USA.

Huhtamaki said all its fibre lids come with a patented and unique click-fit function to ensure secure lid closure, and will be easy to recycle.

Fredrik Davidsson, Huhtamaki’s president for tis fibre foodservice division in Europe, officially opened the new moulded fibre lid production line during a visit to Co Amragh last week.

“We are very excited to start supplying locally made smooth moulded fibre lids to our customers also in the UK and Ireland.

“This investment is a demonstration of our commitment to working with our customers to deliver sustainable packaging solutions from nearby.

“Our technology provides products with superior quality and competitiveness, backed by a 70-year legacy of paper pulping at Lurgan.”

Huhtamaki also owns a food packaging operation in west Belfast, where it employs around 500 people.

Ryan McAleer

Ryan is a business reporter at The Irish News. He has been on the business beat since 2018, initially working as the Belfast Telegraph’s business correspondent before moving to the Irish News in September 2019. He spent eight years before that as a news reporter in Co Tyrone, where he still lives