Stockport-based manufacturer of sustainable packaging, Fibrestar Drums, has announced a deal to expand its production capacity by almost double with the move to larger premises as it targets growth in new markets.
The business, which is the UK’s largest manufacturer of fibre drums for the pharmaceutical, food and chemical industries, will relocate from its current premises in Disley, Stockport to a 110,000 sq ft industrial unit in Hazel Grove next year.
Fibrestar, which supplies customers including AstraZeneca, Novartis and Dow Europe and turns over £6 million, has agreed a ten-year lease with landlord Towngate Plc for the unit at the Newby Road Industrial Estate. The move will provide it with an additional 32,000 sq ft of production space.
Established in 1949 and employing 60 staff, the company produces more than 10,000 fibre drums a week which are used for transporting and storing a range of hazardous and non-hazardous products.
It is now targeting growth in the food and drink market by developing new products for the transportation and storage of liquids and by promoting the environmental benefits of its products, which have a significantly lower carbon footprint than plastic and steel alternatives. Through research commissioned with the University of Manchester, the business has established that switching to fibre-based packaging can reduce a business’ CO2 emissions by as much as 30 per cent.
The news of the move comes as Fibrestar celebrates the 50th anniversary of production of its most popular product, the Leverpak drum of which it has manufactured 50 million units since 1962.
Colin Pardoe, managing director at Fibrestar Drums,
said: “Over the past decade we’ve led an aggressive
product development programme to meet the
changing needs of our key markets.
“As the economic and environmental pressures on
our customers continue to grow, we see significant
potential to develop markets through the sustainable
and lower-cost qualities of fibre drums.
“The move to new premises is a significant milestone for the business as we gear up for this new phase of growth, delivering some major benefits including cost savings, a more efficient layout and vastly improved access. We’re looking forward to moving over with our 60 staff, many of whom have enjoyed long term careers with the business.”
Fibrestar Drums plans to move to its new premises in the first quarter of 2013. The move has been supported through Fibrestar’s existing facilities with Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking and Lloyds TSB Commercial Finance.