The company, part of the VPK Group, claims to be “one of the UK’s largest independent box and container manufacturers”, with corrugated manufacturing operations based currently in Desborough, Northamptonshire and Selby, North Yorkshire.
The new 200,000sqft facility in Wellington, Somerset, where the company plans to install a range of converting machines during 2013, will enable Rigid to provide a full product range including cases, die cut containers and multi point glued products.
“Packaging manufacture will be handled at our Desborough and Selby factories and then transported to Wellington in bulk loads,” says Richard Coward, Rigid Containers managing mirector.
“Customers can then call off by batch, meaning we can offer a true just-in-time service for the South West.”
The “multi-million pound investment” by Rigid will create 30-40 new jobs in its initial phase as a distribution hub, and is expected to create “dozens” more as it transforms into a manufacturing plant by the middle of the summer.
“The range of machines we plan to install at Wellington means we can offer a broad range of packaging styles, printed in up to four colours,” says Rigid sales & marketing director Julian Freeman.
“We anticipate that our new four colour flexo folder gluer will be fitted with dryers, meaning we can print on the highest quality papers in the industry, which is particularly relevant for shelf ready packaging applications.”
