Automated packing line solutions specialist eyes further growth following fresh investment

CME Automation Systems has announced plans for growth following ‘significant backing’ from private equity.

The investment will enable the automated packing line solutions specialist to strengthen its offering to customers internationally in the pharmaceuticals, FMCG, cannabis and tobacco sectors.

CME explained that the new investor has identified the potential to build on the firm’s ‘expertise and reputation for innovation’, especially given the company’s recent success in developing solutions for growth markets such as cannabis and clinical trials.

The investment comes from a specialist fund for UK SMEs and will be invested in a combination of resources, infrastructure, new product development and channels to market.

Paul Knight, CEO of CME Automation Systems, said, “Automation is critical for manufacturers who need to pack products at speed and at scale. In today’s hyper-competitive markets, the use of automation can deliver the competitive edge to balance productivity, profit and growth.

“At CME we provide the tools to help them achieve value through automation. As well as our core markets, we’re seeing significant interest from some of the world’s most rapidly growing sectors. So this investment is well-timed to help us realise our business’s potential – and to help even more customers to meet their automation challenges.”

The CME range offers standard and turnkey line solutions to support a variety of packing functions, including tax stamping, wrapping, collating, cartoning, filling and product handling. This is complemented by in-house capability for certain bespoke machinery design and build.

“CME has a proven track-record but also huge future potential,” said Scott Cullen, FD of CME. “We’re delighted to have a new investor for this ambitious growth plan, which will help to strengthen the CME brand internationally and grow sales in pharmaceuticals, FMCG, cannabis and tobacco.”