DS Smith is investing more than EUR 14 million in its Romanian packaging operations, reinforcing the country’s role in the company’s Central and Eastern European production network. The programme focuses on two key sites: Timișoara, in western Romania, and Ghimbav, near Brașov, where the group is upgrading capacity, automation and corrugated board production capabilities.

The largest share of the investment, EUR 10.5 million, will be directed to the Timișoara packaging plant by the first quarter of 2027. The project includes automation, a full transformation of the production flow, expansion of the finished goods warehouse and the addition of a new production line in the conversion area. These upgrades are designed to reduce delivery lead times and improve operational flexibility.

For corrugated packaging producers, investment is increasingly focused on speed, automation and logistics performance, not only additional capacity.

The Timișoara expansion is particularly relevant as customers demand shorter supply chains, faster delivery and packaging formats adapted to changing retail and ecommerce requirements. A larger finished goods warehouse can help improve order fulfilment, while a redesigned production flow can reduce bottlenecks and support more consistent output.

DS Smith will also invest EUR 3.6 million in 2026 at its Ghimbav plant in Brașov county. The funds will be used to upgrade corrugated board production equipment, with the goal of increasing operational performance and production capacity. This new investment builds on a EUR 13 million programme launched at the same site in 2023, showing a continued commitment to the development of the facility.

Corrugated packaging remains one of the most important materials in modern supply chains. It is widely used for transport packaging, retail-ready displays, ecommerce shipments and industrial applications. However, the sector is evolving rapidly. Customers increasingly expect packaging that is lightweight, recyclable, strong, digitally designed and efficient to handle across warehouses and fulfilment networks.

Automation is therefore becoming a strategic priority. By modernising production lines and improving process control, packaging plants can increase throughput, reduce waste and respond faster to customer requirements. In competitive markets, this can make the difference between a standard supplier and a long-term packaging partner.

• Timișoara will receive EUR 10.5 million for automation, warehouse expansion and conversion capacity.
• Ghimbav will receive EUR 3.6 million for corrugated board equipment upgrades.
• Lead time reduction is a key objective of the finished goods warehouse expansion.
• Corrugated packaging remains central to ecommerce, logistics and retail supply chains.
• Romania is strengthening its position in the European packaging value chain.

The investment also reflects broader trends in the paper-based packaging industry. Demand for recyclable fibre-based solutions continues to grow as brands seek alternatives to some plastic formats and respond to sustainability regulation. At the same time, packaging producers must manage cost pressure, energy volatility and customer expectations for more tailored solutions.

DS Smith, now owned by International Paper, operates in more than 30 countries and has long positioned itself around sustainable packaging, circular design and fibre-based innovation. Upgrading Romanian production infrastructure supports this strategy by improving the company’s ability to serve regional customers with efficient and scalable packaging solutions.

For Romania, the programme adds further industrial relevance to a packaging sector that supports manufacturing, food, consumer goods and export supply chains. Investments of this type can strengthen local employment, improve technical capabilities and help integrate Romanian sites more deeply into international packaging networks.

As packaging demand becomes more complex, plants must be able to deliver both volume and value. DS Smith’s Romanian investment shows that corrugated packaging is not a mature commodity standing still. It is a technology-driven sector where automation, warehouse efficiency, production flow and material performance are all essential to competitiveness.

By expanding and modernising Timișoara and Ghimbav, DS Smith is positioning its Romanian operations for faster response, higher capacity and stronger service reliability. The investment confirms that paper-based packaging remains a strategic growth area, especially when supported by modern equipment, efficient logistics and circular material thinking.