Futamura UK to invest US$20 million in sustainability improvements for Wigton plant

Futamura UK, a leading manufacturer of sustainable cellulose films, commits to further investment in its Wigton (UK) site. Following significant investment in recent years, in both machinery and site facilities, Futamura announced a further US$20 million project to drive step changes in its sustainability and performance.

This noteworthy investment will lead to emission reductions, energy efficiency improvements and a decrease in their product’s environmental footprint. The manufacturer, who employs 270 people and has been based in Wigton for over 90 years, manufactures renewable, flexible-packaging films that are derived from wood pulp.

Futamura fosters a culture for sustainability and innovation, its NatureFlex™ packaging films being certified for both home and industrial composting at end-of-life to support a reduction in packaging waste. The new investment will enable a significant step change in the company’s drive toward “net-zero” and notably reduce emissions.

The project, internally called WSA, will divert waste gasses from the production process to generate a valuable raw material via an oxidation process. Heat generated as a byproduct of the chemical reaction will then be used to generate steam, the main energy utilised in the production process. Once operational, this asset will generate 15% of the total energy requirement of the Futamura site. As a result, the packaging manufacturer will also be able to reduce the amount of natural gas bought from the grid, reducing carbon emissions and improving the footprint of its products. This project will be the largest investment the Wigton site has undertaken since its Japanese owners purchased the cellulose plant in 2016.

Managing Director Adrian Cave comments, “I don’t think in my career, there has been a project that I have been more excited about. At Futamura we are passionate about our NatureFlex™ and Cellophane™ products, and we believe that this also means that we have to continually evolve and use greener manufacturing processes, to further reduce our environmental footprint.”