Growing demand for fresh convenience foods in the US has prompted tray sealing specialist Proseal to open a new production facility in North America.
Located next to the company’s existing plant and office in Chesterfield County, Virginia, the new factory has effectively doubled the size of Proseal America’s operation to approximately 50,000ft2 (4,645m2).
Proseal America now has around 80 staff, including a team of engineers who fully manufacture the heat seal toolsets and spare components, as well as oversee the final fitment and testing of the Proseal tray sealing machines made at the company’s UK headquarters.
“While we were already gaining a share in international markets before we started Proseal America, we decided that, to make the most of the opportunities in the US, we needed to establish our own base so as to ensure the highest levels of localised support,” said Gari Wyatt, CEO of Proseal America.
“We came to central Virginia because there is a fabulous pool of labour here – and almost a decade on, it is the skill and dedication of our employees that has driven our success.”
Proseal America is now considering a further expansion that will enable it to produce entire machines for its customers, as it looks to meet a shift in consumer preferences in the US towards convenient fresh food products.
“The flexibility of our tray sealer range is very much answering the needs of the US market, and our biggest challenge, a good one, is simply meeting the demand,” said Steve Malone, director of Proseal. “This success only encourages us to keep innovating and developing as new opportunities arise.”
