Plastube's plant is located in the town of Granby, Quebec. The plant is strategically located close to major interstate highways to provide easy access to customers on the Eastern Seaboard as well as the Mid-West. The business operates in a 100, 000 square foot climate controlled facility, and has been in operation since 1963. Plastube started as a supplier to the Canadian tube market and then expended to supply customers in the United States.
The business has focused on shorter run production and multiple process work, building a reputation over the years as one of the best decorators in North America. These niches have been the roots of the business and all new tube making and decorating equipment have been specified to continue to service these very demanding market segments. The decorating skills and commitment of the dedicated and long service employees of the business shows in the final decorated tubes and the high service levels delivered to our customer base.
In November 2001, Plastube, (formerly Amcor) entered into a manufacturing and technology licensing agreement with Hoffmann Neopac AG of Switzerland. This agreement provided Plastube exclusive rights to the proprietary Polyfoil® high barrier tube making technology.
Granby is equipped to produce Polyfoil® our metallic tube, Co-extruded and mono-layer tubes.
In November 2005, an investor group consisting of CAI Capital Partners and certain current management of Amcor Plastube announced that it had acquired the plastic tube manufacturing assets of Amcor PET Packaging Canada Inc., located in Granby, Quebec for an undisclosed price.
The new company commenced trading as PLASTUBE North America.
Plastube offers its customers a full size range of tubes with a very wide choice in head styles and treads. Decorating options include up to eight color dry offset printing, process printing, up to five colors tightly registered silk screening, hot stamping and labeling. The machines used for tube making have been designed to minimize the cost and time required to retool for unique head styles, thus offering the customer more flexibility in the package design for new products.
A close working relationship with our local printing plate maker has helped us to offer state of the art plate making with facilities to receive artwork electronically to reduce artwork turn-around time. All new artwork is reviewed by a committee, which includes the plate maker. Years of decorating experience, shared with the customer at the early stages of a project can improve the quality of the finished tube and final cost.
Plastube North America is constantly searching for new decorating ideas and its sales and marketing staff regularly attend trade shows, looking for developments in tube making, decorating and cap design. With shelf appearance so critical to our customers' success, it is very important that the sales force of the tube supplier be aware of new developments elsewhere in the world. We can better service our customers if we more fully understand their challenges in packaging design.
The plastic tube market has realized dramatic growth over the past few years and indications are that the demand for plastic tubes will continue to grow. This growth has been driven by the attractiveness of the tube as a package and the functionality of the tube as a vehicle for product delivery. Plastube North America will continue to focus its growth in these niches, while offering its customers innovative new decorating options.
Plastube is well placed to work with customers on new ideas and short run production for market entry and testing purposes. Personal Care packaging is probably the fastest growing and most exciting packaging market to be in.