The shaping of BoxWay Packaging, formed little more than a year ago by the acquisition of three former Saica plants by Andrew Woollard, is continuing with further investment – and the potential closure of one of the sites.
The company is investing at its Exeter and Peterlee factories with a further rotary die cutter, cutting table and inkjet printer. But it has started a 30-day consultation at the operation in Telford which has been the group’s design hub. There are 18 employees involved.
Woollard says: “It is with a heavy heart that we announce the proposed closure of the Telford plant. However, we know we have always set our sights on the long term and we will continue to build on the considerable progress the group has made in the last 12 months since its incorporation, both in terms of building the right asset base and the appropriate customer and market positioning.
“The investments at our other plants are setting us up well for the long term. We are very excited about the prospects for the group over the months and years to come.”
These investments include a five-colour Weipong rotary die cutter for Peterlee which is due for installation in October to follow on investment in an Autobox carton gluer and Kongsberg cutting table. The Exeter factory will install a Kongsberg C44 cutting table and Eterna auto platen in the immediate future. It received a HanWay inkjet press as part of an investment flurry a year ago.
Woollard explains that the third plant “does not have the right cost structure, asset base or infrastructure to capitalise on the strengths of BoxWay or on the opportunities presented by the UK corrugated sheet plant market. It is hoping to switch customers to its Peterlee and Exeter plants.
Until recently BoxWay had been committed to Telford, appointing Jo McCleave as business development manager for the site in recent weeks and having earlier announced plans to refurbish a four-colour Bobst at the site.
