
IFCO SYSTEMS, the world’s leading provider of Reusable Plastic Containers (RPCs) for fresh food, has announced the opening a production facility for its reusable plastic containers (RPCs) in China in cooperation with POLYTEC GROUP. Starting in April, IFCO is localizing the production of its RPC model Steco 6421 in Tianjin to be used in the Chinese market. Steco 6421 is the most demanded RPC in China.
Local production offers advantages for the environment and customers
In 2015 IFCO opened its office in China and is now experiencing rapid growth in the country. To best serve the market and meet the considerable demand IFCO has decided to open a local production facility for IFCO RPCs which were supplied from Europe until now. This enables IFCO to respond more quickly to the needs of the local market and raises the production volume of the specific RPC model used in China reducing lead time significantly.
Additionally, the local production positively impacts the footprint on the environment by eliminating transport from European production sites to China. IFCO can now react more quickly to changes in Chinese customers’ needs and provide them with optimal support in delivering fresh food from growers to consumers as quickly as possible.
IFCO guarantees international quality and hygiene standards
As with all other production sites, IFCO ensures the highest standards of quality and hygiene at the new facility in Tianjin. IFCO imports the raw materials used for the RPC production from Europe. To meet maximum food safety requirements, IFCO has aligned its production and hygiene processes to the world’s highest standards, complying with European food safety regulations. These efforts are also recognized by independent third parties: IFCO is certified to ISO 9001 for its quality management. By complying with the highest food safety standards, IFCO helps its customers to reduce product damage, supporting the fight against food waste. In addition to that, RPCs reduce packaging costs and improve supply chain efficiency through their intelligent design.
“We are proud to open our first RPC production site in China and now locally manufacture our RPCs for the Chinese market,” stated Wolfgang Orgeldinger, CEO of IFCO SYSTEMS. “This will enable us to meet our customers’ requirements even better and react faster to local changes in demand. By manufacturing the RPCs in the country of use, we also protect the environment and reduce logistics costs.”
Source: IFCO SYSTEMS