UPDATED: All employees were safely evacuated from a March 21 fire at the Tekni-Plex Gallazzi plant in Gallarate, Italy. No injuries were reported.
Some 70 employees work at the site, which manufactures thin PVC films for adhesive tapes.
According to a Tekni-Plex Inc. spokesman, Tekni-Plex Gallazzi officials are working with local authorities to determine the cause of the early afternoon fire.
According to local news reports, the fire started about 1:30 p.m. local time at the plant in Gallarate, near Milan. Multiple fire departments responded to the call, and local residents were advised to keep their windows closed as a precaution.
The plant is part of the Tekni-Films business.The Gallazzi business unit produces specialty PVC tape substrate films for self-adhesive applications. The fire will not impact supplies of products essential to customers in the pharmaceutical, medical, diagnostic health and personal care products businesses.
One source said that the fire started when a machine was undergoing maintenance. The source said local observers believe the plant was heavily damaged when a roof collapsed on the production area. The fire did not reach a warehouse that stored finished product.
Tekni-Films has manufacturing plants on three continents — North America, Europe and Asia — and a contract manufacturing facility in South America.
Wayne, N.J.-based Tekni-Plex makes plastic and rubber products including packaging materials, medical compounds and medical tubing. The parent company employs 2,500 and has manufacturing in Belgium, China, Costa Rica, Germany, India, Italy, Northern Ireland and the United States.