News Flash

A new manufacturing plant officially opened November 3 at a ribbon-cutting event with local dignitaries and officials from both ConAgra Foods and Ardagh Group. The Ardagh Group manufacturing facility will offer 100 new jobs to the local economy, and is the largest single manufacturing investment in Roanoke County’s history.

Ardagh invested more than $93.5 million in the state-of-the-art facility to manufacture light weight metal cans and traditional 3-piece food cans on six high-speed production lines. This is the first time this new generation, thin-walled metal can will be produced in North America, following its successful launch by Ardagh in Europe.

The new plant comes after a supply agreement between leading international packaging company Ardagh Group and ConAgra Foods, one of North America’s largest packaged food companies.

Ardagh is pleased to announce that it is also a platinum sponsor of Canstruction Southwest Virginia which takes place at the Taubman Museum of Art in Roanoke between November 7 through November 22, 2014. This special event which supports the local design industry and collects food for hunger relief projects will feature an Ardagh logo constructed entirely of cans that will be given to food banks after the event.

At today’s event James Willich, CEO of Ardagh Group, Metal Americas, challenged attendees to donate canned goods for the Canstruction Southwest Virginia campaign.

“As newcomers to Southwest Virginia and as one of the largest food can producers in the world, Ardagh is privileged to partner with Canstruction Southwest Virginia and to support the arts in a creative, fun event,” Willich said.

“We are very pleased to be locating in Roanoke and look forward to a long and mutually beneficial association with Southwest Virginia. We chose this area against several other options for many positive reasons including a well-developed infrastructure, proximity to our major customer, the availability of skilled labor and a favorable business tax structure.”

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