Moscow Firm Relocates to Set up New Food Packaging Plant

A Russian plastics packaging company is planning to establish a new production unit to turn out food containers in the Sergiyev Posad district just north of Moscow.

Standard ML is reported to have reached an agreement with the district’s authorities to set up an operation in Sergiyev Posad’s newly developing M8 industrial park.

The company, currently based in the Russian capital, intends to decentralise its production with a switch to a two hectare site at Svatkova in the park. A phased relocation to the unit is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2018.

Standard ML, which moulds polypropylene containers, chiefly for fish and dairy products, initially expects to create 35 jobs at its new facility. 

The firm’s chief executive officer, Aleksey Solovov signed an agreement to the move at the end of March this year with Mikail Tokarev, head of the Sergiyev Posad district which is part of Moscow region.

Standard ML was assisted in its project and selecting a site further out of Moscow city by the Moscow Region Development Corporation (MRDC). The packaging firm will be only the second resident of the industrial park, but up to five more companies are expected to move there with MRDC assistance.

“The Sergiyev Posad area has the necessary working potential (for us). In addition, the district management has provided us with a very convenient site in terms of the logistics chain,” commented Solovov.

Moscow region government and local authorities are supporting relocation by city companies as a means of reducing the pressure caused by the mass movement to and from central Moscow of commuters.

Timur Andreyev, managing director of Moscow Region Development Corp. stressed that one of his organisation’s aims is to address the serious problems caused by such “global challenges”.

Standard ML, which has been in production since 2004, has plans to expand its capacity further and develop new operations outside Moscow Region.