£1.7 Invested in Mew Machinery

Styropack, the UK's leading moulder of protective packaging, is to invest £1.7 million into new machinery, during 2006.

A new Erlenbach 1395/C-E moulding machine, delivered on 24 January 2006, is the first of seven new machines that will be set up at Styropack's Aberdeen site in 2006. Another seven new Erlenbach's will be installed at Ford, West Sussex later in the year and Styropack's Blackburn plant took delivery of another just before Christmas 2005.

"We are delighted to be investing in the future of Styropack," says Gavin Birnie, Managing Director, Styropack. "These Erlenbach machines represent the latest technology and will make our business more efficient. They are quieter, faster and more energy efficient and will help us to offset some of the huge increases in energy costs that we have not been able to recoup in the marketplace.

"2005 was a disappointing year for Styropack, we closed our site in Durham. So it is particularly pleasing for me to be announcing this huge new investment in early 2006.

"We will be planning our installation programme carefully to ensure that customers continue to get the usual flexible and efficient service they are accustomed to - without any disruption", says Birnie.

The new machines are replacing apparatus that is up to 20 years old and they signal Styropack's confidence in the future and in its strong position as market leader in this sector.

"We are looking forward with confidence to a successful 2006," says Birnie. "On 1 January 2006, we re-launched our upgraded website www.styropack.co.uk and today, we are taking delivery of the first part of our investment programme at Aberdeen. The future is looking good."