VPK Packaging, the Belgian packaging giant, is investing €6.5 million in a brand new production site at Courcelles in view of attracting Walloon SMEs.

The new corrugated cardboard production and distribution site will be called "Cartonneries de Wallonie" and is a first-time installation in Wallonia. ''This particular type of packaging, very bulky and inexpensive, must be produced just in time and to very tight deadlines'', explains Pierre Macharis, CEO of VPK Packaging, ''therefore, it is vital for us to be close to our clientele and we want to target the Walloon SME market''.

Also, the chosen site's location is '' ideal, very well connected in terms of the Mons-Charleroi motorway routes, which will allow us to spread all over Wallonia, towards Brussels, Northern France and Southern Flanders'‘, adds the CEO.

The €6.5 million investment on the site should ultimately create a good thirty jobs.

The 'Cartonneries de Wallonie' plant will be the group's most modern site in Belgium. The printing processes will be digitised to a great extent, helping to gain in speed.

The new plant is part of the group's investment strategy, which will invest €60 million this year. The group is furthermore focusing greatly on Belgium, ''which is a wonderful country in terms of infrastructure and location'', adds the CEO.

VPK Packaging specialises in protective packaging products for logistics in the food, cosmetics and consumer products sectors and operates across Europe. Its turnover exceeds €800 million, generating a profit of over €100 million.