Paranova Print and Packaging plans to invest £20m over the next five years to expand its fibre-based packaging operations.
The supplier produces a range of sustainable packaging such as lined board sandwich skillets, trays, and cartons for customers including bakery businesses. A notable case study was bespoke RecyclaLite skillets for the M&S Red Diamond Strawberry & Creme Sandwich in 2025 as well as its 2026 follow-up, the Chocolate, Strawberry & Pistachio Creme Sandwich.
Paranova’s new investment programme begins with a £6m purpose-built facility in Godmanchester, Cambridgeshire, which will boost its paperboard capacity and strengthen its offering.
At 98,000 sq ft, it will join the company’s three other UK sites in Spalding, St Neots, and Wisbech – it operates seven more across Europe. The Godmanchester operation will include manufacturing space, an office, and R&D functions, as well as roughly a third of the footprint dedicated to warehousing in support of seasonal demand and future expansion.
“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,” commented Paranova CEO Jo Ormrod. “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,” she added.
The business plans to commit a further £14m on additional equipment, as well as a state-of-the-art fully automated logistics system that will help to scale output, improve efficiency, and support growth. First machines are scheduled to arrive in early September, including a new press from Koenig & Bauer, with the facility expected to become fully operational in November and employ 150 staff members.
Back in May, Paranova was rebranded as an independent identity following a $321.2m (£236.9m) acquisition by US-based private equity firm Kingswood Capital Management from packaging group Coveris. This was followed swiftly by news that it had completed a £5m transformation of its St Neot’s site to triple capacity and add around 21,500 sq ft of manufacturing space.
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