PARANOVA Print and Packaging plans to invest £20 million over the next five years to expand its fibre-based packaging operations.
This includes a £6 million purpose-built board facility in Godmanchester, Cambridgeshire, which is due to open in November. Godmanchester will become Paranova’s fourth and largest fibre-based facility in the UK, strengthening its ability to support demand for paper-based packaging across the fresh produce, convenience and food-to-go sectors.
Paranova said the Godmanchester operation will help customers meet shorter lead times, variable forecasts and the shift towards paperisation. The 98,000 sq ft facility will include manufacturing space, a warehouse, and office and R&D functions. Around a third of the operational footprint will be dedicated to warehousing, providing the scale and flexibility to support seasonal demand and future expansion.
Built in collaboration with machine partner Koenig & Bauer, the site has been designed to maximise speed, workflow efficiency and automation across the shopfloor, supported by a new print and finishing machine suite. At the centre of the investment is a Koenig & Bauer press which is tipped to support shorter run lengths, faster turnaround, reduced stockholding, and greater responsiveness to complex customer requirements. The facility will further strengthen Paranova’s capability across carton and sleeve products.
Following this, the business plans to commit a further £14 million to additional press and finishing equipment, as well as a fully automated logistics system.
Once fully operational, the site is expected to support 150 employees.
Jo Ormrod, CEO at Paranova Print and Packaging, said, “This investment marks another major milestone in Paranova’s growth and underlines our long-term commitment to the future of fibre-based packaging. Godmanchester has been purpose-built to help us meet the increasing pace and complexity our customers require, particularly across fresh produce, convenience and food-to-go.
“By investing in next-generation print and finishing technology, we are creating a manufacturing environment that supports shorter lead times, greater flexibility and faster speed to market. As our largest fibre-based facility to date, the new site gives us the scale to support further expansion while continuing to help customers transition towards paper-based packaging solutions.”
The announcement follows Paranova’s recent completion of a £5 million transformation of its St Neots fibre-based food-to-go packaging facility.
