LVF Packaging has celebrated its 40th anniversary by notching up over £1 million turnover in a calendar month for the first time in the firm’s history.
The Leeds-based business, which today turns over £8 million annually, has grown from humble beginnings, having started out in a garden shed back in 1985. Harry Coates and his son Nigel built a small vacuum forming machine as a project designed to keep Harry occupied following his retirement from games company John Waddington’s – with the first business won being from Waddington’s itself.
40-years later, the business is run by Nigel’s son, Daniel, and its products can be found on the shelves of major supermarket chains and high street stores.
LVF primarily supplies MAP (modified atmosphere packaging) and skin pack trays to protein suppliers for UK retailers, while also manufacturing packaging for confectionary, beverages, and other retail gift packs. The company operates six production lines, has 46 employees, carries out all product development in-house, and manufactures its own bespoke tooling. The firm’s customer base includes well-known names ranging from Morrisons and Lindt to Border Biscuits.
The business is a strong advocate for plastic still being the best packaging material, championing for a joined-up approach to recycling to counter the scourge of waste. 100% of the plastic waste LVF generates during manufacturing is recycled.
Daniel Coates, LVF Packaging’s owner and business development director, said, “I wasn’t even born when my dad and grandad decided to build that first ever thermoforming machine in the garden shed. But I love that they decided it was a good idea, went ahead, did it and then somehow persuaded John Waddington’s to award them the production of its board game plastic trays. I definitely couldn’t see that happening today.
“To be at the helm of the business as we celebrate our 40th anniversary is a source of great pride for both me and my dad. Even more so when you consider that the business built by my grandad and him still remains faithful to its initial aims of delivering exceptional thermoformed solutions with a real focus on the kind of excellent customer service we would always hope to receive from businesses we work with.”
