LC Shankar Officially Opens New Production Facility
12. December 2022
LC Shankar has officially taken its new production facility in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa to use. The new facility has 10,000 m2 under its roof and is part of a long-term strategy aimed at further expansion, increased output, and reverse integration.
Catering growth
LC Shankar has grown immensely over the past years and needed more space for its increased production as well as increased amounts of raw material and finished goods. The new facility allows for raw material storage, large-scale production and finished goods warehousing to take place on one site. The facility holds:
- 400+ tons of raw material (with capacity for another 200 tons);
- production capacity (cutting, printing, liner insertion and baling) for +/- 400 tons (current production is around 75,000 bags);
- a finished goods warehouse with space for 1,000 pallets which can be doubled when narrow space racking is installed;
- two automatic dock levers that make unloading of containers quick and efficient while all deliveries and dispatches take place under cover.
Taking care of our people and planet
Of course, we are also taking proper care of the employees working at LC Shankar. A double volume canteen eating area, two fully fitted kitchens and outstanding toiletry facilities ensure that the workforce is well catered for.
The production facility has been designed in an ecofriendly manner with food safe LED lighting installed all around, and natural ventilation in the production areas via a “whirly bird” system. All toilets are fed with rainwater that is harvested and stored in 20 water storage tanks. Diesel forklifts have been exchanged for electric forklifts that are designed to operate in narrow spaces to reduce our carbon footprint and maximise our storage solutions. An enclosed, climate-controlled printing room was built to ensure consistency of print regardless of the extreme temperature fluctuations that we do experience. A fireproof chemical storage room is nearing completion.
A great place to be
At LC Packaging, we are very serious about further expanding our reach in Africa, and building this new production facility is only the first step. In the upcoming years we will continue investing in the production facility, our people and the South African continent. It is a great place to be.
About LC Shankar
LC Shankar has been an LC Packaging and Shankar Packagings joint ventue since 2012. The production facility produces and distributes over 700,000 big bags to customers around the world in the industrial and agricultural sector. The facility is fast approaching the levels where it could reverse integrate and begin extruding and weaving fabric locally.