President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to address the commissioning of a state-of-the-art plastics production plant by the ALPLA Group in Lanseria, on Wednesday.

The production plant is the brain child of leading international plastic packaging and recycling manufacturer ALPLA Group.

According to presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya, the investment by the group is a key contribution to the Lanseria Smart City masterplan and reflects the President's stance to position "infrastructure development and the establishment of new cities as means to stimulate the economy and increase employment".

"The ALPLA Group's US$50 million commitment will not only drive sustainability and recycling in the country, but will create and sustain 350 jobs, with an apprenticeship programme that will train 36 mechatronics and recycling technicians for ALPLA operations across southern Africa.

"The apprentice programme will commence in 2023 with the first 12 South African apprentices from local communities beginning their training in the plastics technology and machining technology trades in the Future Corner training centre in Lanseria," he said.

Magwenya said the new Lanseria plant will combine the company's Harrismith, Denver, Isando, Kempton Park and Samrand plants.

"The new plant will produce bottles, closures and special packaging for the food, personal and home care, chemical, cleaning agent and pharmaceutical industries - a total of around 3.5 billion pieces per year.

"ALPLA uses six different technologies, including injection and compression moulding, injection stretch blow moulding and extrusion blow moulding. In addition to international corporations, ALPLA also supplies smaller local companies with plastic packaging solutions," he said.

The President is expected to address the gathering from 3pm.