RICO breaks ground on Thalheim plant expansion

Thalheim, Austria – Molding specialist RICO held a groundbreaking ceremony on June 15, 2022 marked the official start of construction work which will significantly increase production capacity at the plant in Thalheim bei Wels in Upper Austria.
RICO continues to invest in the Thalheim site, and an extensive new facility will soon take shape next to the headquarters in the Thalbach industrial park. The project will be divided into several phases: work on the first phase began on June 15, 2022 and construction is scheduled to last around 15 months in total, with the new building due to enter service in 2023.
Located on an adjoining 2.5-hectare plot, the new production facility will open the door for a huge expansion in RICO’s manufacturing capacity. Injection molding equipment requires substantial amounts of space and the company’s strong current order situation has made the extension necessary. RICO produces molds and injection-molded silicone parts for the plumbing supplies, household appliances, healthcare, life sciences and automotive sectors, as well as for industry. “We always think big. When we finished the most recent addition in 2018, we thought it would give us enough space until 2025, but the site is already bursting at the seams,” explained Managing Director Markus Nuspl. RICO only just opened a new, 5,500m2 production plant in 2018, and the company currently has around 15,000m2 of space at its disposal.
In the first phase of the latest development, three state-of-the-art production facilities, a high-bay warehouse, handling areas and additional office space will be built on an area of more than 10,000 m2.
Creating jobs in the region
The project will also bring new jobs to the local area. “We’re delighted to finally make a start so that we can take the next step in our continuing growth. From day one, it was clear that we wanted to expand in central Upper Austria. And by doing so we will create 100 additional jobs in the region,” Nuspl confirmed.