Sunhope Packaging Machinery (Zhenjiang) Co, which has been involved in the manufacture of machinery for more than 30 years, said it has seen a growing global demand for a return to paper bags.
In China it is a major manufacturer of paper bag machines and ancillary equipment, while also having a strong market in south Asia.
After considering potential sites in France, the Netherlands, and Belgium, Sunhope chose to establish a factory in the UK. It collaborated with Scottish Development International (SDI) and InvestFife to identify and acquire its new site at Southfield Industrial Estate in Glenrothes.
“Our inward investment specialists in China have established a productive relationship with Sunhope and were able to highlight why Scotland was an ideal location for its European technology support centre,” said Mark Hallan, director of global investment at Scottish Enterprise.
“We’ve since been pleased to work with our partners at InvestFife to help the company locate premises in Glenrothes for this innovative project.”
The Glenrothes site was selected due to its proximity to existing Sunhope customers and its easy access to major road networks in Central Scotland and Edinburgh Airport.
The site will be fully refurbished – mostly by local Fife businesses – to serve as a modern facility and demonstration hub, showcasing Sunhope machines to potential customers from the UK, Europe, the US, and beyond.
The factory will also serve as a training hub, offering comprehensive training packages for customers’ personnel. Additionally, the factory will showcase production processes and demonstrate Sunhope machines in action.
Sunhope, whose core team is based in Zhenjiang City, in the Jiangsu province of China, also has strong green ambitions and has successfully obtained grant funding through Business Gateway Fife to help it to build a green and sustainable business there.
As well as net zero grants, the business has received specialist business advice from Business Gateway Fife and Scottish Enterprise.
The new UK arm will be called Sunhope Packaging Machinery (UK).
Its managing director Andy Lindsay said: “As a business our parent company has invested significantly in this project, so having the support, help and advice offered through SDI, InvestFife, and Business Gateway Fife has been paramount to ensure the success of the investment in Fife, Scotland.”
The full refurbishment and modernisation of the company’s new factory is nearly complete and phase two will see the factory equipped with machinery and equipment arriving from China in the next few months.
Recruitment efforts to build a highly skilled production team, specifically machine technicians, will now be initiated. This team will carry out installations, servicing, and provide additional training both locally and globally.
Sunhope is also planning to provide a sourcing service for customers who require assistance in sourcing suitable raw materials. It said this would help streamline the supply chain and ensure customers have access to high-quality materials for their specific needs.
