Essex-based powder filling technology company PLF International has secured an order for a canning line which will form the heart of a new £115million packaging facility in north-west France.

The Harwich company will supply equipment on a ready-to-operate “turnkey” basis for Synutra International, a leading Chinese manufacturer of powdered formula milk for infants.

Synutra is building a 200,000 square metre factory at Carhaix-Plouger, in the Finistère department of France, after agreeing a new partnership with Sodiaal, the third-largest milk co-operative in Europe.

The plant will involve drying, mixing and packaging opertions for the production of powdered milk and fat-enriched demineralised whey, with annual capacity of 90,000 tons for spray drying and 60,000 tons for mixing and packaging.

PLF International, based at Iconfield, Parkeston, will supply a range of custom-built equipment including high-speed rotary vacuum powder filling machine and a laser coding system.

Mark Emond, managing director at PLF, said: “We are incredibly proud to be part of this project, which is set to become one of the finest facilities for infant powder milk production in the world.

“Our bespoke packaging machinery will be key to the plant’s output and we are really looking forward to delivering the equipment later this year and seeing it in action in 2016.”

PLF International, which was founded in 1994, is a worldwide market leader in vacuum powder filling technology, with a customer base that includes global brands in the food, pharmaceutical and beverage sectors.

Synutra International focuses on the sale of premium infant formula products, to supplement more affordable infant formulas targeting the mass market, as well as other nutritional products and ingredients.