Alpla’s Golborne expansion heads for autumn finish

The global packaging and recycling specialist is upgrading its manufacturing facility in Warrington, with Caddick Construction embarking on the latest phase, an overhaul of the company’s logistics hub.

Alpla’s Warrington plant is based at Stone Cross business park near Golborne, close to Junction 23 of the M6.

The expansion project has covered a series of phases, including a bridge link over the highway to connect the existing production facility with the adjacent unit previously occupied by brewer Carlsberg. Alpla acquired the unit in 2019 to serve as its logistics hub, and work to build the bridge link is underway.

Under the latest plans, main contractor Caddick will increase the size of the logistics centre and deliver associated external works. Pozzoni Architecture designed the expanded facility and bridge link. The work is due to complete this autumn.

“The project will allow this family-owned firm to expand in the UK in response to rising demand for its products, creating new employment opportunities and boosting the local economy,” said Ben Edwards, contracts manager at Caddick Construction.

“The bridge link will also create business efficiencies, enabling products to be safely conveyed between Alpla’s manufacturing and storage facility without the need to hand transport between the buildings.”

Alpla occupies several manufacturing and distribution facilities at Stone Cross, where it aims to produce innovative packaging systems, bottles and moulded parts – including packaging for hand sanitisers and cleaning sprays – for a range of customers.

The company is headquartered in Austria and employs more than 20,000 staff worldwide. As it expands at Stone Cross, Alpla is winding down operations at a nearby site, on Bridge Street in Golborne, which it owns. Nottinghamshire-based logistics developer Rula Developments lodged £12m redevelopment plans for the site last month, including demolishing Alpla’s outdated warehouses and creating a 120,000 sq ft replacement scheme.

The application is awaiting determination by Warrington Council.

Caddick is assembling steel works at the project