An €11 million investment at the plant near Rome expands capacity for corrugated cardboard packaging solutions and ultra-high-quality printed displays, meeting the demands of an increasingly sophisticated, growing market A new era begins for the Smurfit Westrock plant in Anzio. A state-of-the-art production line was recently inaugurated in the presence of senior management from the paper-based packaging multinational. The new equipment is a Mastercut 2.1 6-color flatbed die-cutter manufactured by Bobst Group. It represents the cutting edge of packaging industry machinery, featuring a width of over 2 meters, exceptionally high hourly productivity, top-tier quality standards, and the ability to print up to six colors with ultra-high quality.
“This is a major investment, one of the most significant made in our country in recent years”, explains Gianluca Castellini, CEO of Smurfit Westrock Italy.
“With this €11 million-plus investment, we are opening the Anzio plant up to new markets, sectors where print quality is not merely a detail but a strategic element of the brand. The Group’s decision to allocate such a substantial investment to an Italian plant is an excellent sign for our company, it complements the new corrugator, the heart of the production process, that was inaugurated at this same facility just a few years ago”.
The benefits
The new machine will increase production capacity by over 20 million square meters and boost hourly productivity by more than 20%. This capacity is expected to be fully utilized quickly, with plans already in place to pass to three-shift operations in the near future. The sustainability benefits are also significant: lower consumption despite higher performance levels; the use of high-yield water-based inks; waste optimization through precision cameras integrated into the die-cutter. These wastes, even if reduced, are reintroduced into the production process as recycled material. Indeed, Smurfit Westrock exemplifies the circular economy, where production wastes are transformed into new raw materials thanks to local recycling facilities.
The new machine will serve clients across various sectors, including leading European food companies (particularly in the dried fruit industry) and personal care brands, that require packaging and displays with high aesthetic and functional impact in increasingly crowded markets. Specifically, the market for Shelf-Ready Packaging and coated board solutions is showing strong growth, attracting interest from food sectors such as fresh pasta and dairy, industries that had previously relied on traditional solutions and plastic materials. The new line offers a modern, sustainable, and efficient solution, equipping clients to effectively meet both competitive challenges and new European regulatory requirements.
Over 100 guests attended the inauguration including current and prospective clients as well as the suppliers who contributed to the project, that is Bobst, Emmepi Group, New Aerodinamica, Koenig&Bauer Celmacch, Quantum Corrugated, and BCM. It was an opportunity to see the new production solutions firsthand and strengthen the relationships driving growth and innovation at Smurfit Westrock’s Anzio facility. This event showcased a collaborative operational model where customers and suppliers work together toward a shared goal: meeting the needs of all stakeholders while fully respecting people and the environment.
The Anzio site
The plant just outside Rome was established in 1971 as Vosa, a company originally specializing in glass for specialty watches and related products. In 1989, it was acquired by the Irish firm Jefferson Smurfit, a company that would later merge with its main global competitor, the Dutch firm Kappa, in 2005, and subsequently join forces with the American company WestRock two years ago. This merger created the world’s largest paper-based packaging group, boasting over 100,000 employees and a turnover of $32 billion.
The Anzio site covers a total area of 70,000 square meters, including 19,000 square meters of covered space and a raw materials warehouse of approximately 2,000 square meters, built during the pandemic. It also features a dedicated display business unit, handling everything from the processing of paper reels to final finishing. A quality control laboratory operates on-site, certified by the Lucense Institute, one of Italy’s most authoritative bodies in the field. The facility employs around 120 people and serves over 300 client companies, ranging from major multinationals in the food & beverage and health & beauty sectors to small local businesses, thanks to its production flexibility and three-shift operating capacity.
Face to face with Gianluca Castellini, CEO of Smurfit Westrock Italia
The investment in Anzio comes at a time when the corrugated cardboard packaging industry is undergoing a major transformation. In your opinion, which market segments hold the greatest growth potential for the coming years and which ones does Smurfit Westrock intend to focus on most?
“In recent years, packaging has become a strategic element across various sectors, a factor that increasingly plays a decisive role in steering consumer choices toward one brand over another. The food & beverage and household cleaning sectors are certainly poised for the most significant growth; these are crowded markets where packaging serves as a key differentiator for products. Alongside standard packaging, I would also highlight the displays and display islands created for large-scale retail by our Display Divisions, which are also evolving. Our eco-designers are able to design without the use of adhesives or plastic fasteners, making these products have a minimal environmental impact”.
The new line combines high print quality, productivity, and sustainability. How important has it become for customers to find a single partner capable of combining performances, production efficiency, and compliance with new European regulatory requirements?
“As packaging increasingly becomes a marketing lever and a distinguishing feature within an ever-expanding product landscape, companies are seeking partners who can combine functionality with efficiency, and sustainability with communicative effectiveness. When we add the need to comply with the new European regulations, it becomes strategic for businesses to rely on a partner who acts as a consultant rather than just a packaging manufacturer. This allows them to leverage integrated eco-design expertise and supply chain analysis tools to define the most suitable solution, while also ensuring compliance with legal obligations”.
With this investment and the new corrugator already installed at the plant, Anzio facility seems poised to further strengthen its role within Smurfit Westrock’s Italian network. What is your vision for the future of this site, and what further developments might be in store?
“Anzio represents a strategic hub for serving customers in the central and southern regions; notably, the facility houses the second division dedicated to displays, the other being located at the Mantua plant. Thanks to this investment and the superior performance capabilities of the new machine, we can meet customer needs even more effectively, enhancing quality and reducing turnaround times. In doing so, we reinforce our leadership position in the country, covering the entire Italian territory”.
