Wine packaging producer M. A. Silva has invested $4.1 million in a new manufacturing facility in Portugal.
The investment – from the US unit of M. A. Silva – covers a 64,500-square-foot plant that will be used for the production of sparkling and technical cork closures. The investment will also be used to install cutting-edge technology, with the whole project creating 35 jobs for the local economy.
The facility is located in the city of Santa Maria da Feira, 15 miles south of Porto.
M. A. Silva USA was co-founded by Manual Alves Silva, who co-founded the original MA Silva business in Portugal in 1972. As well as the US and its original home market of Portugal, the group now has operations in six other markets around the world: China, Chile, Brazil, Australia, France and Spain.
The US division is based in Sonoma County, California. The company is best known for its production of natural corks for wine, as well as glass bottles in a variety of shapes, sizes, colours and bottle-top formats.
M. A. Silva USA president Neil Foster said: “I founded M. A. Silva USA 17 years ago with Manual Alves Silva, founder of M. A. Silva Portugal, a family-owned and operated company with a 45-year history of wine cork manufacturing.
“The vertical integration of our companies, combined with our rigorous quality and testing standards, ensures that we deliver the finest premium cork closures to the North American wine industry, meeting and exceeding our customers’ expectations.
“This expansion is ultimately the result of the substantial growth we’ve seen in the cork business over the last [few] years. It will allow us to significantly increase our technical cork production.”
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