BEWI establishes packaging hub on Jøsnøya island, Hitra, Norway

BEWI today announces the company’s plans to build a new packaging facility on the Jøsnøya island, Hitra, on the west coast of central Norway. The new facility will be BEWI’s most modern and efficient facility for production of fish boxes, and in addition have facilities to serve the increasing volumes of reusable boxes and reusable pallets. The facility will also be a warehouse and logistics hub for the group’s delivery of other types of packaging products to the fish farming industry.

Significant investment

At the core of the new facility is a highly efficient production line for fish boxes made from expanded polystyrene (EPS). BEWI is today the market leader in Norway, with five facilities, including one under construction on Senja, in Northern Norway. The company also plans to test new technologies for EPS production at the new hub. “We look forward to inviting our customers to join us on this development track”, says Stein Inge Liasjø, managing director of BEWI in Norway.

BEWI plans to have the new facility ready to commence operations in 2022 and the set up may lead to as many as 20 full time positions. BEWI has started the dialogue with the local municipality about the development project and is in talks with several partners and suppliers for the new packaging hub. The company has also signed a letter of intent with KMC Properties ASA, which owns the land where the facility will be built, and which will own the facility building.

The investment in a new packaging facility at Hitra is made to serve current customers and contracts, as well as to position BEWI for future deliveries to the fish farming industry.

«The aquaculture industry is important to Norway and it is important to BEWI. We believe this industry will continue to grow going forward “, Liasjø continues.

Packaging is more than fish boxes

BEWI has a growing volume of reusable plastic boxes running in closed cycles between customers’ facilities in the region and facilities all over Europe. The reusable boxes are transported back to Hitra for cleaning and quality control before they are reused. The packaging hub will also include storage and handling of the reusable boxes. Here, BEWI also plans to handle reusable pallets, intended to replace current use of disposable wooden pallets in the industry.

The aquaculture industry has a great need for various packaging solutions. BEWI is a total supplier of such solutions and the investment at Hitra will also include warehousing and logistics for other packaging, such as foil, cardboard, corrugated cardboard, and solid cardboard, as well as other packaging products.

BEWI sees further opportunities for its investment at Hitra. “It is a bit early to comment now, but we see several exciting opportunities underway. We want to cooperate with the other actors in the industry so that we can ensure a sustainable development overall. Everything we do must lead to a better everyday, “says Stein Inge Liasjø.

Fish boxes in EPS consist of 98 per cent air and are fully recyclable. BEWI has an ambitious goal of collecting 60,000 tonnes of EPS waste annually. The waste comes from both the building and packaging industries. After collection, BEWI processes the used EPS into new raw material at its own raw material factories and is thus the first and only one in the industry to operate in a circular manner.

For more information, please contact:
Stein Inge Liasjø, managing director BEWI Norge, tel: +47 464 02 353
Charlotte Knudsen, director of IR and communications BEWI ASA, tel: +47 9756 1959

About BEWI ASA
BEWI is an international provider of packaging, components, and insulation solutions. The company’s commitment to sustainability is integrated throughout the value chain, from production of raw materials and end goods, to recycling of used products. With a vision to protect people and goods for a better every day, BEWI is leading the change towards a circular economy.

BEWI ASA is listed at the Oslo Børs under ticker BEWI.