All photos courtesy of Accredo Packaging
Ten years, three expansion projects, three different builds, a plant that is three times larger than the original footprint, multiple extrusion lines, two 10-color printing presses added in the past 12 months—another on the way!
Excitement is everywhere at Accredo Packaging in Sugar Land, TX. This FTA member company, active since its establishment in 2009, continues to define success. FLEXO Magazine has been watching it every step of the way.
“Accredo has grown significantly since its founding,” says Rex Varn, executive vice president. “We attribute our continuing success to investment in leading-edge technologies, including high-tech plant operations, a dedicated workforce and exceptional customer service.”
Malcolm Cohn, director of sustainability, explains, “Accredo Packaging is part of the API group of companies, a family owned and operated enterprise established in 1986. It is headquartered in the same locale, just outside Houston.” Malcolm is the second-longest-serving, non-family member in employ. The individual with more tenure is a face very familiar in FTA circles—FTA Board Chair-Elect Johnny Dye, director of printing technology.
World-Class Converting
“World-class converting capabilities incorporate every aspect of package production, from design to extrusion, printing, laminating and pouch making,” Malcolm maintains. “As a major plastics converter, API embraces responsible stewardship of precious natural resources and stands committed to applying innovative manufacturing technologies to enhance sustainability, promote recycling and reduce plastics waste destined for landfill.”
Accredo Packaging follows suit. It defines itself as, “a supplier of innovative, sustainable flexible packaging solutions for the prepackaged food and consumer products markets, to include snack foods, confectionery items, frozen foods, pet treats, overwraps for paper towels and tissue, and shrink bundle film for bottled water and other beverages.”
Scheduled for completion in 2019, Accredo Packaging’s third build will see the firm grow from its original 170,000 sq. ft. plant, augmented with an additional 175,000+ sq. ft. building in 2013, making the 2019 plant bigger than three times its original size.
FIT for Functionality
Already equipped with multiple W&H extrusion lines, providing up to nine-layer capability, Malcolm reports, “By close of September, it will install a new W&H blown film extruder that will incorporate the latest technology, including inline stretching [MDO] capability. This technology will enable Accredo to produce lightweight ‘breathable’ films down to 11-g./m2. Branded AccredoFlex Breathe-Lite, end-use applications include such products as diapers, feminine hygiene products, as well as drapes and gowns for medical use.”
In the last year, Accredo North America has also added two new 10-color W&H flexographic presses, with another scheduled to arrive by early first-quarter 2019. In addition, a new three-layer tandem laminator, with registered coating capability, has been installed.
Malcolm describes Accredo Packaging as, “a pioneer in renewably sourced packaging,” then adds, “It was the first to produce a reverse-printed and laminated all-recyclable pouch.” Also alluding to sustainable operations, he says, “Utilizing 100 percent wind-generated electrical power, Accredo North America is the first flexible packaging plant in the U.S. granted LEED Silver certification under the USGBC rating system—Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. LEED promotes sustainable site development and material selection, water conservation, energy efficiency, and indoor environmental quality.” Accredo Packaging is also BRC (British Retail Consortium) certified (“AA” Rating), a global standard for food safety established in 1998. And the company received a 2014 FTA Sustainability Excellence Award.
Aspirations in Asia
Concurrent with expansion in North America, Rex relays, “Accredo Packaging has embarked on a major investment for a new manufacturing facility in Vietnam. Eyeing significant growth opportunities within Asia’s flexible packaging market, Accredo Asia will open a 238,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility in the Bình Dương Province, outside of Ho Chi Minh City.” Groundbreaking took place Sept. 21, 2017. It, too, will be built to LEED Silver standards. The facility employs an on-site, 1.5-MW. solar array to offset greenhouse emissions, which is expected go online shortly—likely sometime next month, with full plant commercialization, set by year end.
Rex explains, “Accredo Asia will produce coextruded films, printed rollstock, printed laminated rollstock, stand-up pouches and wicketed bags—all with a focus on sustainable manufacturing processes. The new facility will offer advanced technologies for multi-layer blown film extrusion, both gravure and flexographic printing capability, and extrusion lamination.”
Additionally, Rex says, “It will house high-speed slitters with laser scoring and venting, in-house graphic separations and plate making capabilities, quality assurance and R&D labs.” Malcolm elaborates on specifics: “According to the Vietnam Packaging Association, the Vietnamese plastic manufacturing industry is one the fastest-growing industries in the region, sustaining average growth of 20 percent to 25 percent a year.”
Adds Rex, “Economic and political reforms have spurred rapid economic growth and development resulting in a growing number of multinational companies directly investing in Vietnam. Plus, with Vietnam’s emerging economy and more than 92 million people, Accredo expects the demand for flexible packaging in the country to grow considerably, bolstered by a strong development of end-user markets, such as food and beverage.” Accredo’s new plant is well-positioned to service supply chain routes to southeast Asia and Australia.
He promises, “Accredo Asia will differentiate itself, not only with state-of-the-art manufacturing technology, but also through product quality and customer service, a critical component to the company’s underlying success in the U.S.