Japanese Printing Company to Open Facility in Griffin, GA, Creating 80 New Jobs

GRIFFIN, GA—June 26, 2014—Tokyo-based Toppan Printing is opening a new 127,000-square-foot facility based here. According to Gov. Nathan Deal, the $100 million investment will create 80 jobs.

While printing is its core business since Toppan's establishment, the company is aiming to commence mass production at its first transparent barrier film manufacturing site outside Japan in March 2016. With the launch of the new plant, Toppan will bolster its capacity to supply transparent barrier films, including GL Film, to packaging manufacturers in North America and Europe and further expand its business by taking advantage of the new plant’s location.

Deal told the Albany Herald that the economic impact from the state's solid business ties with Japan is significant when market-leading companies such as Toppan Printing choose Georgia. "Because this is the second Japan-based company to locate to this area, it’s clear our state is the ideal location for advanced manufacturing," deal told the paper. "I have no doubt that our highly skilled talent pool and advanced R&D resources will keep Toppan competitive in the global economy."

Shingo Kaneko, president and representative director of Toppan Printing, also commented on the new facility: "In addition to serving the United States, the world’s largest packaging market, we are aiming to further expand our business in Georgia by supplying to Europe as well,” he told the Herald. "Toppan Printing has developed printing technologies that will help companies overcome the challenges faced by customers and provide total solutions that ensure sustainability."

Toppan Printing began sales of transparent barrier films, including GL Film, in 1986. Today, the company enjoys a significant share of the global market for such films. Due to factors such as environmental considerations, Toppan is anticipating further expansion of demand for barrier films in the global packaging market. In particular, demand for barrier films is expected to grow in the North American market, where large structural shifts are taking place in the food packaging industry, such as a need for longer shelf lives brought by changes in lifestyles, and a switch from glass bottles and metal cans to flexible packaging.