New Popcorn Lines On Schedule to Produce 45 Million Bags This Year

Phil Black - PII Editor 16/02/2015

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Production of popcorn has begun at the new Universal Flexible Packaging factory in Lewisher Road, Leicester. The company announced its £11m expansion plans in September 2014 and further investment of £2.3m in its existing Lunsford Road plant in January this year.

Four popcorn lines have now been installed and commissioned at Lewisher Road and Universal Flexible Packaging is now on schedule to produce 45 million bags of popcorn this year from its dedicated space there. 100 staff will be working out of the new factory by mid March and in excess of 1,000,000 kg of raw corn and 250,000 kg of sugar will be processed in 2015.

The company specialises in flexible film and contract packaging for the food industry with several retail brand leaders and multi-nationals among its customers as well as specialising in the production of popcorn and snack foods for major groups.

Commercial Director John Harrison said: “Getting the popcorn and bagging plant up and running at Lewisher Road in such a short time is testament to the hard work of our staff, our building contractors and machinery suppliers. Product produced here is already on the shelves in major supermarkets throughout the UK.”

It is anticipated that the final conversion of the Lewisher Road plant to Universal Flexible Packaging’s requirements will be complete by the summer and work has now begun on the office accommodation. The Lunsford Road factory is now focussing on packaging of dry goods such as nuts and confectionery which it carries out for many well known brands.