Navigator starts up new plant in Aveiro

The Navigator Company has started production at its new industrial unit for moulded fibre packaging, located in Aveiro on the West coast of Portugal, making it the first company in the world to produce this type of packaging in a vertically integrated unit using eucalyptus fibre. The plant has a production capacity of around 100 million packs a year, and is currently the largest in Europe. It is geared towards a market with high growth potential, fully aligned with the challenges of reducing the use of single-use plastics.

This new area is part of Navigator’s responsible business strategy, through which it wants to continue contributing to a more decarbonised society, valuing the crucial role of planted and well-managed forests in the transition from a linear fossil model with no future, to a circular bioeconomy model that is carbon neutral and favourable to nature.

Production starts with three product lines for single-use applications in the food sector, which are fully recyclable and/or compostable: tableware: (plates, bowls, cups); take-away (take-away packaging for the food retail and horeca channel); food packaging (laminated pouches for meat and ready meals, boxes for fruit and vegetables).

These products have the production flexibility and scalability to take advantage of the various opportunities opening up to replace single-use plastics and aluminium. At the same time, new products have been developed in partnership with national and international clients, and research and development work continues on new sustainable barrier solutions, as well as testing other commercial solutions.