Opal officially opened its $70 million cartons manufacturing facility in Moorebank, south-west Sydney, bringing world-class printing technology to Australia and strengthening local packaging production.
Coinciding with National Recycling Week, the purpose-built facility represents a significant investment in Australian manufacturing, supporting Opal’s food-grade cardboard carton packaging capabilities, to meet customer demand for locally manufactured, high-quality and recyclable packaging.
Spanning 27,233 square metres, the new facility is home to Australia’s only Heidelberg Boardmaster, an advanced high-speed, high volume inline flexographic web printing system specifically designed for folding carton production. The technology combines automation and AI-powered systems to improve speed-to-market, minimise materials waste and deliver greater flexibility for customers.
The new Moorebank facility, supports local employment and Opal’s continued investment in Australian manufacturing, helping customers access locally produced packaging while reducing reliance on imports.
Brad Hinds, Chief Executive Packaging, said the investment reflected the company’s commitment to strengthening local manufacturing and supporting the changing needs of Australian businesses.
“This is an important investment in the future of Australian manufacturing. We’re bringing world-leading technology into our operations, giving us greater capacity to produce high-quality carton packaging locally while improving efficiency and waste.
“For our customers, it means greater flexibility, reliable supply and the ability to develop new packaging solutions as their needs evolve.
“Combined with our Centre of Excellence at our Orchard Hills site in NSW, which produces our innovative, recyclable punnet featuring a unique wood-based cellulose window, Moorebank Cartons gives us the capability to take new packaging ideas from design through to manufacturing competitively, right here in Australia.”
The Moorebank facility incorporates a range of advanced manufacturing and operational features:
- World-leading printing technology: Home to Australia’s only Heidelberg Boardmaster, which provides superior print quality, capable of running at up to 600 metres per minute, with AI-powered plate scanning and automated press settings that improve speed and eliminates manual adjustments.
- Significantly reduced material waste: Advanced changeover technology capable of reducing changeover waste to less than 10 metres of board, representing a reduction of up to 90 per cent.
- Food-grade manufacturing: Certified food-safe production site to comply with customer requirements
- Sustainability focus: Optimised for water-based inks (improving recyclability) and energy-efficient drying with heat recovery. Moorebank Cartons also uses less electricity than its predecessor and no natural gas.
The site provides improved freight efficiency. With access to rail infrastructure connecting the Moorebank Intermodal Precinct with Port Botany, Opal expects to receive approximately 1,557 twenty-foot containers of board via rail in 2027, reducing reliance on road freight.
The investment strengthens Opal’s end-to-end packaging capability, from innovation and design through to local manufacturing and recycling, providing greater flexibility and supply security for customers.
