New facility in the South West of England

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New facility in the South West of England

Location:

Wellington, Somerset, United Kingdom

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Rigid set to open third site Leading corrugated packaging manufacturer unveils plans for the South West. Rigid Containers Ltd - part of the VPK Group - has confirmed it is to open a new facility in the South West of England. The 200,000 sq ft site in Wellington, Somerset, will allow the company to serve its growing customer base in the South West with ease. "We will open the site as a distribution hub in early April 2013," confirms Richard Coward, Managing Director. "Packaging manufacture will be handled at our Desborough and Selby factories and then transported to Wellington in bulk loads. Customers can then call off by batch, meaning we can offer a true just-in-time service for the South West." Mr Coward continues, "It is our intention to install a range of converting machines during 2013. During the year, a balanced line-up of converting machines will be installed that will enable Rigid to provide a full product range including cases, die cut containers and multi point glued products. This will involve both equipment bought specifically for the new site and machine transfers from our Selby and Desborough operation as we replace them with new models as part of our investment plans here in the UK.” The new site will be a multi-million pound investment entirely funded by the Group. The distribution hub will create between 30 and 40 new jobs for the area immediately and is seen as a positive move by the local council. As the hub then transforms into a manufacturing plant by the middle of the summer, it is expected that dozens of new jobs will also be created. The company will be offering detailed and intensive training schemes for the new personnel. In line with Rigid's lean management style, sales and administration will be handled from the company's headquarters in Desborough. "Rigid has positioned itself successfully as one of the most efficient stock & serve suppliers in the UK," states Julian Freeman, Sales & Marketing Director. "All three sites will be controlled centrally and for customers, this means a continuation of our 'single point of contact' operating strategy. The range of machines we plan to install at Wellington means we can offer a broad range of packaging styles, printed in up to four colours. We anticipate that our new four colour flexo folder gluer will be fitted with dryers, meaning we can print on the highest quality papers in the industry, which is particularly relevant for shelf ready packaging applications." "At a time when the nation is struggling with poor levels of growth and investment, it is refreshing to have some good news," concludes Mr Coward. "We are really optimistic about this new site in Wellington – not just for the benefit of our customers, but also for the local community. New jobs and local investment are critical for the nation at large and we are pleased to be playing our part in helping the overall recovery process for the economy."