The Polish plant specialises in producing high-quality folding cartons and rigid boxes along with other specialist paper and board products. GPA said the addition of the facility, which is just outside Warsaw, marks an important new phase for the company and the first step in its strategic plan for European expansion.

The site has a floorspace of 8,000sqm and its staff offer services from design to logistics, verifiable coding and serialisation, special finishes, and hand assembly.

GPA Global will also now operate ASG Print’s technical sales office in London, which employs eight people, as well as sales offices in Paris and the Netherlands.

Originally founded in China under the name Green Packaging Asia, in the past decade GPA Global has expanded across Europe and North America. In recent years the business has acquired UK packaging specialist MW Luxury Packaging, Irish firm Lucas Luxury, and North American company HUB Folding Box.

GPA Global told Printweek that while it is already a sizeable UK business, the ASG deal – completed on Wednesday (1 December) – will help to strengthen its UK presence. The aim of the deal is to provide its customers with better service and reduced lead-times while helping them to achieve their sustainability goals and commitments.

GPA Global CEO Adam Melton outlined the benefits of having a central European base: “As global supply chains are migrating closer to where products are consumed, having manufacturing in Poland is of strategic importance for GPA Global and we intend to continue to expand our presence in the region.”

President Tom Wang added: “With our combined strength and capabilities, we look forward to expanding our global offering to our combined customer base.”

ASG Print managing director Jamie Toms, meanwhile, said that with GPA’s support the Polish site will be able to continue delivering “’best in class’ integrated supply chain solutions” for its print packaging customers in Europe.