Pliant to consolidate B.C. film extrusion plant

As part of its operational restructuring program, Schaumburg, Ill.-based film and packaging company Pliant Corporation has announced that it will consolidate its facility in Langley, B.C. The plant closing will be Pliant’s first large-plant consolidation in five years.

The extrusion lines, printing presses and bag machines that will be relocated out of the Langley plant will be reinstalled in other Pliant facilities during the second quarter of 2007.

“We are excited to be underway with our first big plant consolidation and equipment repositioning program in five years,” said Pliant Corporation president and CEO Harold Bevis in the release. “We have solid momentum on our growth and cost programs. We remain firmly committed to our strategically sound business plan built upon focused sales growth, continuous cost reduction and innovation.”

According to the company’s website, the Langley facility was responsible for the manufacture of bakery and tortilla bags, towel and tissue overwrap, printed shrink film, fractional gauge films, and frozen food wrap. Company officials did not return calls to comment on the reasoning behind the consolidation.

Pliant also did not indicate whether it had plans to consolidate its other existing Canadian facilities, but did note that it intends to modernize and consolidate one or two plants per year for the next several years.