Visy boosts Smithfield corrugated output by 33 percent with a 30 million dollar investment

The Australian corrugated packaging sector continues to consolidate its domestic manufacturing capabilities. Visy has officially commissioned a new 2.8-metre-wide corrugator at its Smithfield board factory in Western Sydney, backed by an A$30 million capital expenditure. This upgrade increases the site's board output by 33 percent, delivering a significant capacity injection for the region's agricultural and food and beverage supply chains.

Integration at the New South Wales supersite

Smithfield operates as the largest recycling and manufacturing precinct in New South Wales rather than a standalone converting plant. The supersite integrates two 100% recycled paper mills and sustains over 400 full-time jobs. By upgrading the corrugating operations at this integrated hub, Visy tightens the loop between recovered fiber processing and finished box production, minimizing logistical friction and maximizing material efficiency.

Digital optimization and board performance

From an operational standpoint, the new 2.8-metre line introduces advanced digital process optimization and real-time monitoring. In modern corrugated manufacturing, these digital controls are critical for reducing changeover times and maintaining high production speeds without compromising board quality. The equipment delivers enhanced board strength and flatness, which are non-negotiable parameters for converters supplying high-speed automated packing lines and shelf-ready packaging (SRP) applications.

Visy Chief Executive Officer Mark De Wit confirmed that the investment is strategically aimed at securing a robust local supply chain for key domestic sectors. By increasing output and technical consistency at the Smithfield supersite, Visy reinforces its position in the highly competitive Australian packaging market, ensuring that volume demands from the agriculture and FMCG sectors are met with locally manufactured, recycled board.