Mayr-Melnhof (MM) is advancing the expansion of its packaging production in Romania. According to the company, the investment in the local plant is proceeding on schedule. Commercial production is set to start in October 2026.
The project is part of MM's growth investments and belongs to the Food & Premium Packaging division. Looking ahead to the second half of the year, the Group confirms that the expansion investments in Romania and the USA are proceeding according to plan. They are scheduled to contribute to the Group's earnings from 2027 onwards. MM does not provide any further details regarding the investment volume or the additional production capacities in Romania in the half-yearly figures not.
Weak demand for folding cartons
The expansion is taking place in a still difficult market environment. MM describes demand for folding cartons in the first half of 2026 as sluggish. At the same time, the intensity of competition in most end markets remained unchanged and high. Towards the end of the second quarter, the order situation improved slightly in selected markets.
In the Food & Premium Packaging division, revenue fell on a comparable basis, excluding the divested Tann group, by 5.6 percent to 684 million euros. The volume produced decreased by 7.1 percent to 1.019 billion square metres. By contrast, adjusted EBITDA rose slightly by 0.9 percent to 97.9 million euros. The corresponding margin increased from 13.4 to 14.3 percent. MM attributes this development, amongst other things, to process improvements, fixed cost reductions and lower cartonboard costs.
According to the company, the division's innovation activities continue to focus on sustainable packaging solutions. The main focus here is, in particular, on replacing plastic packaging with fibre-based alternatives.
Source: Mayr-Melnhof
