Robinson to open packaging factory in Poland

UK firm is following customers in establishing Lodz site.

24 August 2005 – UK packaging group Robinson has acquired a factory site in Poland and is aiming to start production of injection moulded plastics packaging there in the first quarter of 2006.

Chief executive Jon Marx told PRW.com the decision was taken to follow customers who had set up in central Europe. Although Robinson is currently shipping to these customers from its plants in Chesterfield and Kirby-in-Ashfield, the company does not anticipate job losses in the UK when the Polish operation starts, he said.

Robinson has paid £1.3m (E1.9m) for the 12,000 sq metre factory, which was built in the 1980s and is located in Lodz. It will employ 25 people in its first year, but as it is redeveloped over a five-year period staffing levels are expected to rise to about 100 people.

In financial results announced today, Robinson said sales in the plastic packaging business increased by 6% in the January-June period. It had mixed success in passing on higher polymer and energy costs, resulting in pre-tax profit for the whole group falling by nearly a half to £358,000 (E526,000). Turnover increased by 2% to £11.3m (E16.6m).

Robinson won new plastics business worth around £500,000 (E735,000) from Cryovac Sealed Air in the first half. More than £1m (E1.5m) was spent on processing equipment for this new business, together with other contracts such as a new container for United Biscuits.

(Source: PRW.com)

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