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“My growth target each year is always in double digits,” explains Johann Taferner, who has been Managing Director of MMP Neupack Polska since 1999. The company has followed a steep growth trajectory since it was founded in 1995. Today, it is the market leader in carton- board packaging production in Poland and has a significant market share in other European countries, from the Baltic States to the UK. A second factory had to be added as early as 2013, which has since been expanded several times. But the latest investment breaks all records. The 60-million-euro investment will double the plant’s capacity and provide new technology.

Revolutionary: Digital printing for mass production

“In mid-2022, we will start operating MM Packaging’s first industrial digital printing line,” explains Johann Taferner, emphasising the word “industrial”. This is because digital printing usually only handles short print runs, but the new press – with its 272 print heads – can manage long print runs at high speed. It even allows each carton and type of packaging to be printed individually.

The process will be used primarily for packaging cartons. “Packaging will increasingly have an individual code so that it can be easily tracked throughout the logistics chain,” Johann Taferner explains. It will soon be possible to produce these types of individually printed cartons cheaply and in large quantities in Poland. There is significant potential to be found in the e-commerce market.

Printing specialists for high-quality packaging

However, affordability is not the only priority at MMP Neupack Polska. “We’re not simply a low-cost facility. We can also do some things that others can’t,” Johann Taferner explains. The plant in Bydgoszcz also produces specialist microflute cartons. These are made from a sturdy, extremely fine flute cartonboard which is then laminated. It is used in ready meal packaging or for packaging electrical appliances. The Polish plant also offers cold foil printing for applying gold metallic foil on more luxurious designs. And the brand-new 8-colour, dual-coating press is perfect for creating high-quality chocolate boxes. It not only applies exactly the right colour shade, but can carry out spot gloss printing to highlight special design elements.

On course for renewed growth

The company has been one of the largest em- ployers in the region for some time. The current expansion will create another 70 new jobs and make MMP Neupack Polska the largest producer of folding cartons and microflute cartonboard in Europe. What’s more, Johann Taferner can look forward to achieving double-digit growth again. It is expected that the current expansion will increase annual turnover from just under 100 mil- lion to between 140 and 150 million euros within a short period.

Sounds of Chopin among pallets of cartonboard

“Bydgoszcz is one of Poland’s most important centres for music. It boasts three music academies, a magnificent opera house, jazz cafés and many classical music concerts. It’s a great place to live if you love music. So, it’s obvious why we took advantage of this fact in 2013 when we opened the new factory. We invited a pianist to give a classical piano concert among our pallets of cartonboard. You always hear nice speeches at these sorts of opening events, so we decided to do something different. It’s not often you hear the sounds of Chopin’s music among pallets of cartonboard!” (Johann Taferner)