NEWS FROM: Location: Switzerland+
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Owens Illinois Establishes European
Headquarters in Switzerland
Staffing Expected to Reach 200
NEW YORK, June 14 -- Owens Illinois,
the global packaging company that changed its name to O-I early in April, has
opened its European headquarters in Switzerland, reports Mario Brossi of
Location: Switzerland, the country's inward investment promotion agency.
Based near Lausanne in the canton of Vaud O-I expects to hire up to 200 people
in the near future to manage its 11-country European sales, marketing,
financial, manufacturing, IT, and human resources operations plus a shared services
center, Mr. Brossi said.
Steve McCracken, CEO of O-I, said,
"The choice of Switzerland and the Lausanne area was based on an analysis
of several criteria important to our competitiveness in the European
marketplace. Above all, Switzerland is one of the most business-friendly
countries on the continent, and has a legal structure that strongly supports
multinational business operations such as ours. This is supplemented by a
highly productive, well educated, multilingual workforce that facilitates doing
business across our European markets. An added benefit is a great
lifestyle."
Mr. McCracken noted that "The
Swiss educational program is among the best in the world with well-known
international high schools preparing children to international careers. The
Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne ranks among the best of the world
in higher education. Moreover," he said, "Switzerland's
location and outstanding transportation infrastructure puts us square in the
middle of, and with easy access to, our Central and Eastern European
operations."
Gil Restrepo, President of O-I
Europe, said, "Our new facilities, formerly occupied by a logistics
company, were identified, rented and renovated in less than six months with the
help of local and federal government authorities. This is another strong
indication that Switzerland works when it comes to supporting new business
ventures."
About O-I
O-I glass containers, healthcare packaging and specialty closure systems
deliver many of the world's best-known consumer products to people all around
the world. World-wide, O-I provides products that enable superior taste,
purity, visual appeal and value benefits for its customers' products.
Established in 1903, the company employs nearly 30,000 people and has more than
100 manufacturing facilities in 23 countries. In 2004, annual revenues
were $6.2 billion. For more information, visit
Contacts:
O-I: Carol Gee at carol.gee@us.o-i.com or 419-247-5585.
LS: John Williamson at johnhwilliamson@earthlink.net or 908 730-9622
