Closing and selling

Alcan is to close its Cayey pharmaceutical glass vial operation based in Puerto Rico in order to streamline its North American vial manufacturing network.

Poor demand for glass vials in the Puerto Rican market was cited as the reason for the closure.

Closer to home, Alcan has sold its Pet Plas Packaging food plastic bottles outfit to Esterform Packaging, a company based in Worcestershire in the UK.

The closure of the Cayey facility, which affects 62 people, should occur by October 9, 2005. The plant’s production lines will be redistributed to other glass tubing plants in North America. The closure does not affect Alcan’s plastics packaging operations also located in Cayey, Puerto Rico.

Esterform Packaging specialises in blow-moulded and injection-moulded plastic bottles primarily for beverages including juice, soft drinks, water and dairy.

Pet Plas, a manufacturer of custom PET plastic bottles and preforms, employs 90 people and operates one plant in Leeds, England. The unit had 2004 sales of $50.5 million.