Oji Fibre Solutions (OjiFS) built a new manufacturing plant for corrugated board in Yatala Central in Brisbane, Australia.
The A$72m ($56.56m) plant expansion was announced by the company following its acquisition by the joint venture of Oji Holdings and Innovation Network Corporation of Japan.
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The new corrugated plant was inaugurated in February 2018. The project created 300 jobs during the construction phase and currently has 70 employees.
Australia’s Queensland Government and the Gold Coast City Council provided incentives and funds totalling A$65m ($51.06m) for the project through the Advance Queensland Industry Attraction Fund and the Investment Attraction Programme respectively.
Location and design of Brisbane corrugated board plant
OjiFS purchased a 24,126m² property owned by Frasers Property to develop the new facility.
Spread over 32ha, the property provides manufacturing companies with links to key end-use markets through the M1 motorway and major interstate roads.
The new plant comprises a 23,026m² manufacturing facility and a two-storey office with a 1,100m² built-up area and 120 car spaces.
Products manufactured at Oji Fibre Solutions’ plant in Yatala Central
Corrugated packaging products are one of the fastest growing segments of OjiFS, with its paper and product specifications being well-suited for the fruit, vegetables and meat sectors.
Long-term growth in horticulture and meat sectors of Queensland is projected to increase the demand for corrugated packaging in the future. The new plant enables OjiFS to meet the anticipated growth in demand.
OjiFS introduced the state-of-the-art manufacturing technology to produce a variety of paper-based products to the fruit, vegetables, dairy, meat and seafood markets in Queensland, New South Wales and the Northern Territory.
The plant is anticipated to produce packaging that is suited to Australian weather conditions. The packaging will enable fresh food to be packaged and efficiently dispatched to Asian markets.
Sustainable features of the Yatala plant
OjiFS built the plant with a five-star Green Star environmental rating. The plant is designed to consume reduced amounts of water and electricity as part of the company’s focus on sustainability.
Some of the sustainable features include a rainwater harvesting system, which will reduce potable water consumption by 80%. A 100kW solar PV system, daylight sensors and an efficient lighting control system in the warehouse are also part of the facility.
Contractors involved with Queensland packaging plant
Louvreclad and De Luca were contracted to manufacture and install the Louvreclad Varsity Series® ventilation louvres for the facility’s warehouse.
The louvres provided sufficient aeration to achieve desirable ambient air and control indoor air quality in the warehouse.
Project benefits
OjiFS already operates packaging plants in Melbourne and Sydney, in addition to five plants in New Zealand. The packaging facilities manufacture a range of products made from sustainable wood fibre procured from New Zealand.
The new plant is aimed at providing its customers with innovative and environmentally sustainable products that enhance their competitiveness, while attracting new customers. It will enable the company to expand its operations in Australia and provide customers with innovative products.
The project also fits into OjiFS’ strategy aimed at achieving vertical integration across its pulp, paper and packaging segments.
