GHAZIPUR, BANGLADESH (Jan. 24, 10:30 a.m. ET) -- Bangladesh’s biggest paper carton manufacturer is foraying into manufacturing plastic bags at its Ghazipur plant, about 40 miles from the country’s capital Dhaka.

“The plant would cater to the textile exporters. Bangladesh is the one of the biggest exporter of textile to the world,” said Md. Moshiur Rahman Litton, chairman of M&U Packaging Ltd.

Initially the plant will manufacture 100 metric tonnes of polypropylene per month.

“Commercial production would commence next month,” Litton said. The company has already installed 3 extrusion lines.

The company plans to double the capacity by next year.

“We are installing four more extrusion lines by 2013 to double the production to 200 metric tons per month,” Litton explained.

M&U Packaging spent about US$3.5 million to expand its paper carton factory in 2009. The company has one more carton making plant set up in 2003.

“We think it is natural to expand into plastic packaging after becoming one of the largest paper carton makers in Bangladesh,” Litton added.

The company is among the biggest exporters of bicycles to Europe and South East Asia and is a diversified conglomerate manufacturing bicycle and motorcycle tires, plus a joint venture hanger production unit with Italy’s Mainetti Group.