Irish-owned sustainable packaging investment firm Packaging Holdings Ltd has just completed a formal merger with UK-based Grafham Holdings Ltd, a company with a turnover in excess of GBP£30 million and more than 120 employees.
As a result of this investment and merger of companies, Packaging Holdings is now a new group of 10 sustainable packaging companies in the UK and Ireland which has over 200 employees and €50 million annual revenue. As a new Anglo Irish manufacturing and distribution group, the focus is now on 21st century sustainable packaging labelling and kitchen innovation solutions. All companies in the group have 20+ years track records of success and innovation, each working with blue chip customers.
About Grafham Holdings
Grafham Holdings is a UK incorporated company which specialises in the manufacture and distribution of food packaging and DayMark printed labels solutions to the UK and European food industry. Grafham Holdings comprises seven constituent businesses namely, Hovat Ltd, RPS. (Retail Packaging Solutions Ltd.), Delta Pack Ltd., PH Labels Ltd, Advance Bunzl Ltd., Paper Straws London
Ltd and MJ Supply Ltd. With operations in Birmingham, Kent, Cheshire and Nottinghamshire, clients include leading food brands and major own label retailers such as Tesco, Aldi, Lidl, Marks and Spencer, Waitrose, Sainsburys and ASDA and large food businesses such as Muller and Arla.
Barry O’Brien, CEO and Chairman of Packaging Holdings, said: “I’m delighted with the merger. The group’s paper packaging products are typically manufactured locally to our customers, just in time to order, with planned use of green electricity, via PV Solar installations. Grafham Holdings and the 3 Irish businesses have each been in the business more than two decades.
“With the present CEO’s, namely Pat O’Reilly, Paul Murphy, Shauna Walsh and Kevin Beamon all becoming investors in Packaging Holdings ( thereby retaining their skill, knowledge and expertise), they continue to lead their individual businesses.
“Each company can offer our over 1,500 business customers an increased product range, increased expertise, increased capacity, and additional green new packaging products by leveraging from the synergies and greater scale of the new group.”
About Packaging Holdings
Packaging Holdings is an Ireland incorporated company focused on the manufacturing of paper packaging. It comprises of 3 recently acquired companies, namely Ace Corrugated, Craftpak Packaging and Walsh Packaging. The circular economy and the replacement of plastic by paper boxes and paper bags is high on the agenda for Packaging Holdings. With dedicated manufacturing facilities in Dublin, Cavan and Roscrea, our customers include leaders in many sectors including likes of Zeus, Kerry, Dunnes Stores, Aer Lingus, Essentra, Univet, Allergan, Musgraves, Bunzl and Dell.
Packaging Holdings Investor Profile
Earlier in 2023, Packaging Holdings raised €40 million from investors including IFP Investments, Staunch Limited, Martello Fund 1 DAC, Allied Irish Bank and the owners of the businesses. The merger with Grafham Holdings Ltd is the fourth investment by Packaging Holdings within 6 months and follows deals for the purchase of Cavan based corrugated box company ACE Corrugated, and Dublin based corrugated box company Craftpak Packaging. J.F. Walsh Packaging was acquired for an undisclosed sum in April of this year and is a leading Irish manufacturer of printed paper bags from its factory in Roscrea.
Day to day commercial banking will remain with existing Banking operations of the component companies of the new group, ensuring continuity.
Header image: Packaging Holdings Ltd CEO and Chairman Barry O’Brien.
