Paranova Print and Packaging will open the first phase of a £20 million cartons super site at Godmanchester in November this year.
In the first phase, amounting to a £6 million investment, the company will occupy a 9,100m2 factory, one-third of which will be warehousing. It is working with Koenig & Bauer to specify a highly automated workflow including press, die cutting and folder gluers. “The site has been designed to maximise speed, workflow efficiency and automation across the shopfloor” Paranova’s announcement states.
The Rapida sheetfed press is specified with print and coating units to cope with shorter run lengths, faster turnaround and to be highly responsive to customer demands. The company, born from a Kingswood Capital Management backed buyout from Coveris in May this year, says the investment will address the needs for “shorter lead times, variable forecasts and paperisation”.
The plant, its fourth and largest board operation in the UK, will produce cartons and sleeves for the fresh produce, convenience and food to go sectors.
Paranova Print and Packaging CEO Jo Ormrod says: “Godmanchester has been purpose built to help us meet the increasing pace and complexity our customers require, particularly across fresh produce, convenience and food to go. By investing in next generation print and finishing technology, we are creating a manufacturing environment that supports shorter lead times, greater flexibility and faster speed to market.
“As our largest fibre-based facility to date, the new site gives us the scale to support further expansion while continuing to help customers transition towards paper-based packaging solutions.”
The plant is close to the St Neots plant producing sandwich packaging and beneficiary of a £5 million investment in a custom built Bobst web press to produce the wraps, trays and cartons used in the food to go sector, ordered while still part of Coveris.
It is also close to the Paranova plant at Wisbech, currently its flagship litho and flexo plant for cartons and sleeves which also uses a large format Koenig & Bauer press.
The equipment will beginning arriving on site in September and is scheduled to be in operation in November. There are plans to invest in at least two more presses and matched production equipment amounting to a further £14 million investment. This will include automated handling of materials, automated production workflows and management of equipment to create the most efficient operation possible and support further growth.
