Belvac increases expansion investment to meet global demand
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Belvac, part of Dover, producer of can forming and decorating technologies for the two-piece can industry, has expanded its container and engineering services by investing in a fully functional, two-piece can pilot line.
Belvac says the addition of the pilot line will strengthen its capabilities and offerings to support increased global demand for beverage can-making equipment and support services. The company is also expanding its footprint by adding 40,000 sq ft of manufacturing and assembly capacity at its headquarters in Bedford County, VA, US, to meet continued demand for its equipment such as trimmers, neckers and decorators.
The pilot line gives brand owners and converters the opportunity to develop innovative specialty-shaped two-piece aluminium beverage and aerosol containers. Container makers can also use it for testing coatings and inks along with material light-weighting. In the near future, Belvac says it expects to offer low-volume manufacturing of finished containers for market tests. This pilot line supports the company’s existing turnkey can and metal bottle integration business by producing cups and preforms to test container concepts in advance of final equipment installation and high volume end customer container production.
David Mammolenti, executive vice president, Belvac, said: “Increased consumer demand for more environmentally friendly aluminium beverage cans and bottles, which better meet environmental standards and regulatory conditions, are driving growth throughout the can-making industry. Belvac anticipated this increased demand for our products and services and has been investing to expand our manufacturing capabilities, product offering, and support services. These most recent investments ensure that Belvac now has full-line equipment capabilities to provide full plant integration services, mitigating risk at installation and startup.”
Belvac also has manufacturing operations in Virginia, New York, Dongen, Netherlands, Plzen, Czech Republic, and sales offices in Europe, China, South America, and the Middle East.
The company says it will increase its global workforce by 15% in 2021 to meet the growing demand for its equipment worldwide and to support the newly announced expansion in services and footprint.
