Packaging Digest

Sunny D brings bottle making on site

The Sunny Delight Beverages Co. and ALPLA Inc., a global supplier of plastic packaging, have signed a letter of agreement for ALPLA to provide on-site bottle manufacturing for the Sunny Delight beverages made at SDBC's Sherman, Texas plant.

This move is part of the $70 million investment SDBC announced in December 2010 to purchase the Sherman site and to upgrade it and four other North American manufacturing sites and data systems. The ALPLA agreement will involve the production of all bottle sizes for the SunnyD produced at the facility in space being vacated by the J. M. Smucker Co.'s Folgers coffee operation.

"We are delighted that ALPLA will have a facility within our Sherman plant to produce all the bottles for the SunnyD made there," says Ellen Lobst, svp of manufacturing and technology. "This will allow us to significantly reduce our freight costs, speed delivery time to customers, improve our manufacturing efficiency and further reduce our environmental footprint. ALPLA's production will include Sunny Delight's new consumer preferred, square gallon bottle which consumers call 'fridge friendly' and which is easier to pour."

"We are very excited for this opportunity to partner with Sunny Delight Beverages Co.," says Jodok Schaeffler, general manager of ALPLA, North America. "Once fully operational, our new Sherman, Texas facility will produce with our latest generation, state of the art equipment and will employ approximately 18 full time employees. This opportunity is another great example of a partnership that has a positive impact on the environment while taking costs and complexity out of the supply chain."

"Sherman is pleased to have these two world class companies invest in our community," states Frank Gadek, vp, Sherman Economic Development Corp. "Sunny Delight has been an outstanding corporate citizen and economic driver for many years. We welcome ALPLA Inc. to Sherman and look forward to a long and prosperous relationship."

Source: Sunny Delight Beverages Co.