Greif invests in IBC capacity

CONTAINERS FOR RUSSIA

PRODUCTION • ONGOING INVESTMENT IN RUSSIA’S CHEMICAL SECTOR IS PROMPTING A MATCHING EXPANSION OF INDUSTRIAL PACKAGING CAPACITY, AS GREIF’S LATEST PROJECT SHOWS

RUSSIA HAS SEEN a steady increase in the level of investment within its borders from the chemical industry in recent months and Greif has joined the trend, funding a second intermediate bulk container (IBC) production plant in the city of Kaluga, 160 km southwest of Moscow. The new plant is adjacent to its existing steel drum production site in the Vorsino Industrial Park. This particular region of Russia was chosen because of its advantageous geographic location within the Moscow transport hub and proximity to several of Greif’s key customers.

The new facility will cover 5,500 m² and is expected to double Greif’s production capacity for IBCs in Russia. The facility will be equipped with the latest high-tech equipment and will also able to provide foodgrade services. The current Greif IBC facility in Kazan is already running at full capacity, making this new project essential to be able to manage growing demand for industrial packagings and to continue to ensure the supply of high-quality products.

EXPANDING FRONTIERS Konstantin Savinov, Greif’s director of operations EMEA Eastern Europe, comments: “The opening of a new IBC facility in Russia underlines Greif’s ongoing commitment to the market. Continued investment from local government and multinational corporations, as well as its proximity to several of Greif’s key customers, makes Kaluga an attractive region.”

Complementing Savinov’s comments about the region being an attractive investment for Greif, Luca Bettoni, EMEA IBC and plastic product manager, says: “Russia is the world’s largest country by land area and is an emerging market. Kaluga’s location combines logistical accessibility and close proximity to key customers and markets in central and southern Russia and the CIS region.”

When discussing the direct benefits of working in this area, Savinov notes: “More than 800 new chemical plants are expected to be launched under Russia’s chemical import substitution programme between 2020 and 2030. At the present time, we are observing exponential growth in demand for foodgrade IBCs, mainly for edible oils and animal feedstuffs. For Greif, it means an opportunity to satisfy increasing demand for best-quality industrial packaging, supplying the market with foodgrade IBCs certified in accordance with international standards. The new production line in Kaluga will allow us to capture this growth and better serve existing customers located in and around the region.

“The investment will allow us to serve our customers by offering more flexibility, reduced lead times and lower transportation costs as well as the ability to dispatch combined batches of steel drums and IBCs. It will also mean we have the capacity to secure new contracts, particularly in the food industry, as well as coatings, petrochemicals and specialty chemicals.”

“The Kaluga site will be able to produce all of Greif’s GCUBE IBC configurations in line with all of its global GCUBE sites (14 in total),” says Bettoni. “This allows Greif customers to receive the same product everywhere they need it, ensuring the highest standards in terms of safety, quality and cleanliness.”

Currently, Greif operates seven steel drum production facilities in Russia in addition to its IBC capabilities, boasting nearly 300 operating locations situated across over 40 countries in total.

NEW FACE FOR FRANCE On the other side of Europe, Stephane Serrano has been appointed by Greif as sales director for France. Serrano will oversee the performance of the sales team across France by taking a strategic lead on new business development opportunities, as well as supporting the growth of existing customers through Greif’s product solution range.

Serrano has more than 15 years of experience in sales and marketing in industrial markets, covering the food

processing, animal feed, chemical and mining and minerals sectors. Having been responsible for the development and implementation of sales and marketing strategies in previous roles, Serrano has a proven track record of driving growth without compromising quality.

Greif’s regional sales director for Western Europe, Michael Vvedenskiy, comments: “With his enthusiasm, commercial awareness and previous experience, Stephane will be a huge asset to our operations in France. His appointment strengthens our commitment to delivering customer service excellence and progressive industry leadership.”

Greif operates three production facilities across France in Rouen, Laudun and Lille. Its product portfolio includes steel drums, IBCs and plastics drums serving customers in the chemical, lubricants, food and beverage, pharmaceutical, nuclear and petrochemicals markets. www.greif.com