Ramaphosa to officiate $50m plastic production plant that will create 350 jobs

President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to address a gathering to mark the commissioning of a state-of-the-art plastic production plant by the ALPLA Group.

The new plant will produce bottles, closures and special packaging for the food, personal and home care, chemical, cleaning agent and pharmaceutical industries – a total of around 3.5 billion pieces per year.

The Presidency has revealed that international manufacturer ALPLA Group’s US $50 million commitment to the project will drive sustainability and recycling in the country.

The initiative will also create 350 jobs with an apprenticeship programme that will train 36 mechatronics and recycling technicians for ALPLA operations across southern Africa.

“The apprentice programme will commence in 2023 with the first 12 South African apprentices from local communities beginning their training in the plastics technology and machining technology trades in the ‘Future Corner’ training centre in Lanseria.”

The event will take place at the ALPLA Production Plant at Lanseria, Gauteng.

“In his 2020 State of the Nation Address, President Ramaphosa positioned infrastructure development and the establishment of new cities as means to stimulate the economy and increase employment.”

Furthermore, in its new headquarters for Sub-Saharan Africa, the ALPLA group is merging five previous plants which were located in Harrismith, Denver, Isando, Kempton Park and Samrand. 

“The new location in Lanseria features 35 000 square metres of covered production, administration and storage space, another 12 500 for future expansion, and 30 000 square metres of roof area equipped with solar panels.”

“Around 22 100 employees produce tailor-made packaging systems, bottles, closures and injection moulded parts at 177 locations in 45 countries.”

The recycling company uses six different technologies, including injection and compression moulding, injection stretch blow moulding and extrusion blow moulding.

In addition to international corporations, ALPLA also supplies smaller local companies with plastic packaging solutions.

ALSO READ: Ramaphosa: One million people employed through stimulus programme