Japan-based Toppan Printing announces plans to construct transparent barrier packaging film plant in Georgia for approximately 10B yen, with scheduled completion in March 2016

Elyse Blye

TOKYO , June 25, 2014 (press release) – - Expanded capacity to serve North America and Europe to further grow overseas barrier film business -

Toppan Printing Co., Ltd. (hereafter Toppan Printing) has announced its decision to construct a new plant in Georgia USA. Toppan is aiming to commence mass production at its first transparent barrier film manufacturing site outside Japan in March 2016.

With the launch of the new plant, Toppan will bolster its capacity to supply transparent barrier films, including GL Film, to packaging manufacturers in North America and Europe and further expand its business by taking advantage of the new plant’s location.

- Background

Toppan Printing began sales of transparent barrier films, including GL Film, in 1986. Today, the company enjoys a significant share of the global market for such films.
Due to factors such as environmental considerations, Toppan is anticipating further expansion of demand for barrier films in the global packaging market. In particular, demand for barrier films is expected to grow in the North American market, where large structural shifts are taking place in the food packaging industry, such as a need for longer shelf lives brought by changes in lifestyles, and a switch from glass bottles and metal cans to flexible packaging.

In light of these trends, Toppan will construct a manufacturing site in Georgia, USA from which to provide high-quality transparent films to North America as well as new markets.
Toppan will target total sales of approximately 100 billion yen in fiscal 2018 for its transparent barrier film-related business.


- Overview of planned new plant

-- Location: Georgia USA
-- Site area: 145,667 square meters
-- Building area: 10,555 square meters
-- Scheduled completion:　March 2016
-- Product manufactured: Transparent barrier films
-- Total investment: Approximately 10 billion yen


- GL Film

This is a collective term for original transparent barrier films developed by Toppan Printing. These films enjoy an excellent reputation not only in Japan, but also in overseas markets such as Europe, North America, and Southeast Asia thanks to a wealth of variations suited to different purposes and the world’s highest level barrier performance, achieved using original vapor deposition technology. As a top brand in the transparent barrier film market, GL Film is currently used for approximately 15,000 products in around 45 countries and regions (as of December 2013).

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