Paranova Print and Packaging plans to invest £20 million over the next five years to expand its fibre-based packaging operations, beginning with a £6 million board facility in Godmanchester, Cambridgeshire.
The new site, due to open in November, will increase the group’s paperboard capacity and strengthen its fibre-based packaging offer. Godmanchester will become Paranova’s fourth and largest fibre-based facility in the UK, strengthening its ability to support growing demand for paper-based packaging across the fresh produce, convenience and food-to-go sectors.
The 98,000sqft facility will include manufacturing space, a substantial on-site warehouse, and office and R&D functions, creating a fully integrated operation built for long-term growth. Around a third of the operational footprint will be dedicated to warehousing, giving Paranova the scale and flexibility to support seasonal demand and future expansion.
Following the initial £6 million investment, the business plans to commit a further £14 million to additional press and finishing equipment, as well as a fully automated logistics system. The new Godmanchester site complements Paranova’s dual flexo and litho flagship facility in Wisbech, adding further depth to the group’s manufacturing network and additional capacity in paperboard.
Jo Ormrod, CEO at Paranova Print and Packaging, said: “This investment marks another major milestone in Paranova’s growth and underlines our longterm 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.”
Over the last five years, Paranova has delivered strong year-on-year growth in paperboard, with the new facility representing the next phase of that expansion. The first machines are scheduled to arrive in early September, with the facility expected to become operational in early November. Once fully operational, the site is expected to support a headcount of 150 employees.
