Beauty packaging manufacturer GEKA is to invest in its facilities in Brazil, the US, and Germany in a bid to increase production capacity and focus on new technologies. The company adds that the investments are part of its strategy to strengthen its global reach.
GEKA has more than doubled its facility in Brazil in 2024 to respond to the potential in Latin America and especially in Brazil. The expansion will bring warehouse responsibilities in-house, enabling both finished and semi-finished products to be stored at the site. The new building will increase capacity by 25% with the addition of an assembly line, an injection molding (IM) machine, and an injection blow molding (IBM) machine. The move into the new building will begin in September 2024, with production slated to begin in January 2025.
GEKA’s site in Elgin, Illinois, US, currently consists of two halls for warehouse and production purposes. During the year, the company will alter the layout to improve the flow of materials and make processes more efficient. GEKA says the reorganization will increase the site’s production capacity. The site will also obtain two hot foil printing machines for cap and bottle decoration. Meanwhile, a silk screen printing machine capable of two-color printing and with a capacity of up to 15 million units per year will be transferred from GEKA’s headquarters in Germany.
The Elgin site will also be able to produce molded mascara brushes and wipers, previously exclusive to headquarters. Additionally, the existing filling line will be automated, and quality inspections will be performed locally with the installation of a GOM machine. GEKA says this measuring device will allow precise and efficient quality inspections on-site, resulting in a quicker production process.
GEKA’s headquarters in Bechhofen, Germany, will be equiped with new decoration machines this year, including embossing and silk screen machines. The new machines will enable the company to increase the capacity of its beauty application products. Additionally, the Bechhofen facility will be equiped with additional IM and IBM machines. GEKA will also install three new assembly machines to improve automated processes.
The final investment concerns three new packaging robots at Bechhofen. These robots will automate a range of packaging tasks in a bid to provide consistency, minimize manual labor, and increase throughput. GEKA says the move towards greater automation will enable it to increase production efficiency and capacity, as well as scale its operations to meet growing customer and market demands.