First groundbreaking at Actega DS

With the groundbreaking ceremony on September 18th, the implementation of the construction project to expand the Bremen site of Actega DS has begun. IE Plast from Munich has been commissioned for planning and realization.

Actega DS is investing more than EUR 19 million in the expansion of the Bremen site. With this site expansion, the production and storage area will be increased by 8,000 sqm, the production capacity will be increased by 50 percent, and the research and development area will be tripled.

After IE Plast accompanied Actega DS as the general planner from the feasibility study through conceptual planning to the preparation of the building application, IE Plast has now been commissioned as the general contractor (GÜ) within the framework of a work contract with cost and schedule guarantees. IE Plast plans and constructs industrial buildings for the plastics industry, where manufacturing processes, building technology, and architecture are optimally coordinated, and operational and construction planning are closely integrated. This allows for the elimination of downtime, reduction of inventory times, and lowering of operating costs. "At the beginning of a project, the buildings themselves are not the main focus for us," says Jens Beck, responsible architect at IE Plast for the Actega DS expansion, "but factors such as production flow, goods and personnel movement, logistics requirements, and expansion potential. This way, our customer receives operations and construction planning from a single source, whether it’s new construction or expansion of the existing facility."

"With the extensive investments in expanding our production, storage, research, and development capacities, we are developing our site into an innovation center," says Wilfried Lassek, Managing Director of Actega DS. "This will enable us to advance the introduction of new, patented technologies to continue developing sophisticated and application-oriented solutions for closures and packaging for the food and beverage industry in the future. Additionally, we will increasingly offer materials and technologies for products in the medical technology and consumer goods sectors. At the same time, these measures underscore the importance of the Bremen site for our company."

The background of this investment project is partly to make the site fit for the future and to further strengthen the company's innovation capacity. On the other hand, the need for site expansion is driven by the great successes and future prospects of new products and business areas such as PROVALIN®, the first PVC- and phthalate-free closure sealing compound for metal vacuum closures, the PVC/PVDC-free sealing solution for wine, sparkling wine, and champagne closures VinTellox®, or PROVAMED® and SOFTEST®, the portfolio for the MPC business area.

About Actega DS

Actega DS is a Bremen-based traditional company. Founded in 1920 as Diersch & Schröder, the company develops, produces, and markets specialized TPE materials for closure and packaging technologies as well as for the medical, pharmaceutical, and consumer goods industries. For over 20 years, the company has been part of ALTANA AG and thus part of a globally represented corporate group. As a member of the Actega Coatings & Sealants division, the company has a global structure that enables cross-technology synergies. With 150 employees and state-of-the-art production facilities, continuous work is underway to introduce new, patented technologies, producing more than 150 tons of plastic granulate daily and exporting to over 100 countries.

About IE Plast

IE Plast is part of the IE Group. The group currently employs over 90 construction and operations planners, architects, mechanical and industrial engineers, logisticians, and process engineers. With offices in Zurich, Munich, and Nyon, the group has been active since 1966 and executes projects for the plastics industry as well as for the food, printing, packaging, life science, and high-tech industries. IE customers receive operations and construction planning from a single source, both for new buildings and for expansions of existing facilities. The result is sustainable industrial buildings: efficient, economical, and flexibly usable.