Ardagh Metal Packaging
A circle begins in Huron
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The Circular Economy found a new beginning in the City of Huron this year. Ardagh Metal Packaging (AMP) is a leading global supplier of infinitely recyclable, sustainable, aluminum beverage cans, and passersby would be hard to miss their new production facility well underway off of Route 2 on Sawmill Parkway.
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- New production facility to meet extraordinary demand for beverage cans
- Transformation of 70 acre site in Huron to accommodate a nearly 600,000 square feet production facility
- 320 new employees in Huron and Erie County
- Hundreds of millions invested from AMP's $1.8 billion global capacity expansion
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AMP is a subsidiary of Ardagh Group, which operates 24 production facilities in the Americas and Europe with approximately 5,000 employees and reported revenue of $3.5 billion in 2020. Consumers have been thirsty, driving demand for the new Huron facility. They are also increasingly conscious of their purchasing decisions and how those align with their social goals.
Consumers, retailers, and brand owners recognize beverage cans' environmental advantages with their extremely high recycle and recycled content rate. Metal is a permanent material, meaning it can be infinitely recycled without any loss of quality. Beverage cans, like those soon under production at AMP Huron, can be recycled and returned to store shelves in about 60 days - the ideal example of a Circular Economy. In fact, 75% of all aluminum ever produced is still in use today.
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Brands and retailers are also drawn to AMP’ cans as an efficient option due to filling, shipping, and retail display economics as there is no wasted space with cans' stacking abilities. Plus, you’ve got 360-degrees of opportunity for brand artwork and promotions on a beverage can. AMP has been a pioneer in improving the technology, design, and manufacturing processes of packaging to provide these environmental and business advantages.
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A peek inside the Huron production facility will look like this – It all starts with (giant) rolls of aluminum coils. A series of machines called “cuppers” cut the sheets into circular open-ended forms. From there, the container is reinforced, trimmed, washed, and dried. Now it's ready for labels, which present the brands you know and love. After a series of curing and waxing, finally the shape is adjusted – narrowing openings down and prepping lips to attach ends to the can. Cans are then ready for shipping to customers in high volumes. AMP's customers, the beverage producers, will complete the finishing touch by filling containers and attaching the ends.
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It’s an intricate process, but the production team in Huron will have 320 new, talented employees to support four production lines. Beverage can ends are already in production, and beverage cans will begin production in 2022. AMP’s site is 70 acres with 340,000 square feet under roof and adding an additional 200,000 square feet to accommodate warehouse and production space. The hundreds of millions invested in Huron is a part of a $2.1 billion global capacity expansion program through 2024.
Beverage cans to be produced at AMP Huron will serve a variety of customers in categories such as sparkling water, soft drinks, teas, and beer. We think you have every excuse for a “cheers” this holiday season, toasting with your favorite canned beverage, and supporting a new local business providing tremendous opportunities for our area residents and economy.
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An investment of this magnitude begins with a robust site search process and long due diligence period - evaluating a market's ability to meet company goals in labor, logistics etc. and evaluating a site's ability to meet production requirements. ECEDC & Huron officials have worked with Ardagh Group on each step of this journey - providing intelligence and addressing any gaps. Infrastructure was the biggest need for this project but thanks to funding secured from EDA, ODOT, and OPWC Sawmill Parkway will undergo a complete reconstruction in 2022 - a benefit to the dozens of companies along this corridor. Contact our team for help with your site or expansion needs..
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Stay Tuned for Day 9: 1826 Photographic
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The 12 Days of Development email series recognizes and celebrates another year of progress in Erie County, Ohio. December 1st - 12th, you will receive 12 email spotlights on a company investing, improving and innovating in our community. We can't capture it all, so let us know a neighbor we missed or what activities you've got planned to make the 2022 list! #ErieCounty12Days
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