LOCAL MP Ian Sollom recently visited Coveris’ packaging manufacturing site in St Neots, Cambridgeshire, which is undergoing a £5 million transformation to increase capacity and triple its operational footprint.
The site is described as a ‘centre of excellence’ for fibre-based composite food-to-go packaging. During the visit, Coveris representatives met with Mr Sollom to discuss its role in manufacturing paper and plastic packaging, its contribution as a local employer, and continued investment to support growth in sustainable formats. The MP was also given a guided tour and met employees.
A key focus was the potential impact of the UK’s new Extended Producer Responsibility (pEPR) legislation on packaging producers and the wider supply chain. The MP and Coveris discussed how, while the aims of pEPR are clear, the current format may lead to unintended consequences. Coveris said that of particular concern is that it will penalise ‘innovative recyclable fibre-based composite packaging’ such as sandwich skillets produced at Coveris’ St Neots site, which the firm said are designed to maximise fibre yield recovery in recycling and reduce plastic consumption.
The discussion included proposals for a new sub-category for high-fibre content fibre composite packaging within EPR classifications, which Coveris explained would help maintain investment in more sustainable solutions.
The firm outlined its work with the Alliance for Fibre-Based Packaging to highlight concerns and press for action from DEFRA and pEPR administrators, PackUK. The meeting also touched on the need for better recycling infrastructure, with suggestions that pEPR fees should be partly ring-fenced to support improvements.
Through technological advancements, Coveris’ St Neots site has reportedly halved the amount of cartonboard and plastic in its sandwich skillet packaging, while maintaining ‘robust’ food protection, product visibility, and consumer functionality.
Ian Sollom MP said, “It was fascinating to visit the facilities of Coveris in St Neots and learn more about their innovation in the sustainable packaging sector both nationally and internationally. I was particularly impressed by their recent Learn2Print Apprentice Employer of the Year award as well as a win at the Women in Packaging Excellence Awards. New investment in the Cromwell Road site will be a huge boost to the local job market, especially for young people looking to learn new vocational skills and build careers in a range of specialisms. I look forward to supporting Coveris in working even more closely with local education providers and work coaches to bring more visibility to the fantastic career and development opportunities they are offering.
“I also appreciated hearing about their work on sustainable packaging formats and the regulatory challenges they face. I’ll be following up on the important points they raised about ensuring our packaging regulations properly recognise and incentivise genuinely sustainable innovations.”
Jo Ormrod, Coveris’ BU paper chief operating officer, added, “We were pleased to welcome Ian Sollom MP to Coveris. As one of the UK’s largest packaging manufacturers and a major employer locally, we are proud to introduce our operations and champion the essential role packaging plays in protecting food, reducing waste, and supporting supply chains globally. We are committed to driving sustainable change through our award-winning No Waste strategy, which is helping to reduce our environmental impact and lead progress across the packaging industry. Engagement with our Member of Parliament to raise awareness of the new pEPR legislation is key to shaping packaging and governance that works for the environment, the industry and consumers.”
Coveris operates two sites in St Neots, employing over 220 people.
