CULLEN has responded to growing demand with a £5 million investment to expand its Glasgow manufacturing operations.
Currently producing around 500 million products annually, the business is targeting a doubling of output through continued investment in capacity and expansion into new markets.
The investment in its Glasgow site has already seen increased output as demand for sustainable moulded fibre and corrugate packaging continues to grow. Order volumes are increasing across its core markets, while EPR regulations are reshaping the economics of plastic packaging.
At the heart of the programme is the launch of Cullen’s new Moulded Fibre Machine 8000, a proprietary production line designed and built entirely in-house by the company’s own engineering team. Brought online after six months of development, the machine ramped up rapidly following launch, reflecting both the pace of demand and the role of new capacity in supporting Cullen’s growth trajectory.
As the world’s only manufacturer combining corrugate and moulded fibre capability under one roof, Cullen occupies a unique position in the UK packaging industry. Cullen designs and builds much of its own machinery, giving the business full control over output, speed, and product specification.
Machine 8000 incorporates the company’s latest belt technology, delivering improved throughput efficiency and quality. The business also operates a closed loop recycling system, processing over 8,000 tonnes of its own corrugate waste annually and feeding it directly back into moulded fibre production, embedding circularity into the manufacturing process itself.
The investment has also created new jobs at the Glasgow facility, adding to a workforce that has grown consistently alongside the business over the past decade. Machine 8000 is part of a wider £2 million infrastructure upgrade programme that includes improvements to existing production lines and the installation of a new Kasemake X5 corrugate sample table, which enables Cullen’s design team to develop and deliver packaging samples to customers at greater speed.
The expansion comes as EPR regulations reshape the economics of packaging across the UK, accelerating the shift away from plastic and driving brands to seek reliable domestic alternatives at pace.
Cullen revealed it is already seeing record growth in key categories including food and drink, medical, industrial, and e-commerce, and is experiencing ‘significant’ early traction in markets it has recently entered. In home fragrance, where brands are actively seeking plastic-free alternatives for candles, diffusers, and related products, enquiries and order volumes have grown sharply since the category was opened. Further capacity additions are planned in the coming months in anticipation of continued demand growth, Cullen said.
Maureen Stevenson, head of marketing at Cullen, said, “This investment is a response to real, sustained demand from our customers. The new machine ramped up quickly following launch, and we are already planning the next phase of expansion. That is what growth-led investment looks like in practice, not speculation, but response.”
