U.K.-based Northern Paper Board to spend £500,000 to install new automated machinery, technology at its Skipton, England, packaging plant that makes solid boxes for food processing industry

Sandy Yang

LOS ANGELES , March 12, 2012 (Industry Intelligence) –

Northern Paper Board Ltd. plans to install £500,000 (US$781,938) in new automated machinery and technology at its packaging plant in Skipton, England, over the next four months, reported Packaging Europe on March 12.

The U.K.-based company is in the next stage of its £2-million investment and development program at the plant, which is the country’s second-largest producer of solid boxes for the food processing industry.

Its customers include those in the meat, poultry, fish and horticulture packaging sectors across the U.K. and southern Ireland, Packaging Europe reported.

Northern Paper Board is looking to increase its market share to 50% from 10% now, said Managing Director John Curran. “The meat and poultry sector alone is worth £50 million a year,” he said.

Over the next five years, the company will push to increase its turnover, said Curran. It has grown at an annual rate of more than 10%, going to an estimated turnover of £8.3 million in the current fiscal year from £5.4 million three years ago, reported Packaging Europe.

The current upgrade includes the installation of additional robots to feed printers and folder gluers, as well as an automated stacking system for the palletization line. This will boost production capability to as many as 150,000 boxes on a single-day shift.

Since December 2009, Northern Paper Board has spent £1.8 million on capital improvements at the plant. This includes a total expenditure of £1 million on new die cutting, folder gluing and printing machinery, as well as an automated pallet-wrapping line, Packaging Europe reported.

Another £800,000 was spent on production, warehousing and office expansions, the last of which was completed last November. This increased the building’s space to 40,000 square feet.

The products made by Northern Paper Board include 4-point lids and bases to 6-point glued one-piece boxes, including polyethylene-coated, uncoated and leak-proof boxes.

The company, which was started in 1979 by the current managing director’s father, employs 16 people and is actively recruiting, reported Packaging Europe.

The primary source of this article is Packaging Europe, Norwich, England, on March 12, 2012.
 

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