The head of Australian packaging and recycling company Visy, Anthony Pratt, believes Australia’s manufacturing industry has a strong future.
The Australian newspaper reports that Mr Pratt made the comments while opening the new Visy Group $86 million Stapylton beverage can manufacturing facility on the Gold Coast on Thursday 28 March. The facility will be Australia’s first new can plant in more than twenty years.
The new factory was “further proof that competitive manufacturing can have a bright future in Australia, provided manufacturers are prepared to invest,” Mr Pratt told the crowd at the opening.
“We are very optimist about the future of Australian food and beverage. Queensland is a great State to manufacture in,” Mr Pratt said. “We think that the quality of the Australian worker is one of the best in the world. There is a great future for Australian manufacturing. We are always opening plants and will continue to do so,” he added.
The Company has invested $150 million in the site at Staplyton, which is halfway between Brisbane and the Gold Coast. The plant uses state-of-the-art equipment to produce lightweight aluminium cans for Visy customers such as Schweppes, Lion, Diageo and other beverage producers. It produces about 1.6 billion aluminium beverage cans and 600 million steel food cans.
Read Sophie Langley’s full story at www.ausfoodnews.com.au
