€4.4million Card Manufacturing Plant to Open in Xewkija

Milan-based card manufacturer Bryvarc is to set up a production line in Gozo’s Xewkija Industrial Estate in three months following an initial investment of EUR4.4 million, Malta Enterprise chairman Alan Camilleri told The Times Business.

“The nature of the production requires a certain degree of security measures,” Mr. Camilleri said. “Gozo was precisely chosen for this reason because the promoters feel it is a safer place for their operations.”

Mr. Camilleri confirms that Bryvarc plans to employ 58 Gozitan workers in its first intake. A second recruitment drive will add a further 24 employees by the second year of operations. Another 58 will join the company in its third year. Personnel will undergo training programmes to operate high-tech equipment.

Outlining the road to the contract which was signed last week between the Italian company and Malta Enterprise, Mr. Camilleri said Malta Enterprise’s evaluation team and board of directors studied the project and a letter of intent has now been issued.

“In the same vein, discussions were held with Malta Industrial Parks to allocate a factory and a letter of allocation will be issued and a lease agreement signed,” he said.

“Bryvarc was evaluating another location besides Malta. Malta Enterprise’s job was to assist the company in deciding in favour of relocating here. Malta Enterprise has followed the company’s interest to invest in Malta throughout and, in the past three months, has held various discussions with the promoters to close project negotiations, which included also direct talks with the banks. The company will avail itself from the package of industrial incentives available for companies settling up in Gozo.”

Bryvarc, which belongs to Swiss group DA Card SA, describes itself as a young and dynamic company with many years’ experience in the plastic cards market. It says it has acquired important companies and signed significant partnerships with key market players.

Its portfolio of products and services includes the production and personalisation of plastic cards like credit cards or identification documents, scratch and lottery cards, fulfilment services, and data entry and document managing services.

Bryvarc says it is considered “an effective and reliable partner by the most important Italian and foreign retail companies, large supermarket chains, banks, insurance companies, and marketing and communication companies” with which it has long-term agreements for projects and loyalty programme managment.

The company produces cards in a range of materials from PVC to cardboard which can be manufactured with offset, silkscreen, and digital printing for orders running into several millions.