A multi million pound contract with biscuit manufacturer Burton’s has helped position Leicester based Clifton Packaging as one of the leading UK specialists in flexible packaging – in particular, stand-up re-sealable pouches.

“One of the first important capital investments in the early days was a Titan SR6 slitter rewinder,” explains Shahid Sheikh, managing director. “This machine helped establish Clifton Packaging and expand the company to what it is today”. Now there are three separate divisions in the Clifton Group and it has stayed loyal to Titan, with the addition of a second slitter, this time an SR7, purchased off the stand from Valmet Converting at the K’2001 exhibition in Düsseldorf, last October.

Urgent jobs

“The new investment is part of our strategic plans for the future”, he says. “Although the SR6 was capable of handling all the company’s existing requirements, the SR7 was bought to offer clients a ‘same day’ turnaround on urgent jobs. It also allows us to meet all our requirements from large mill reels, which we keep in stock, to substantial in-house requirements for printed films for our sister company, Azpac Foods, which is involved in contract food packing.”

“The arrival of the SR7 has had a dramatic effect on our business”, he reveals. “The SR6 was a stepping stone into the fast lane of packaging – but the SR7, quite apart from boosting the image of our capabilities, offers what I believe is the finest slitting technology on the planet.”

Recently, the company has expanded its packaging expertise into stand-up pouches, an area where Shahid Sheikh believes there is huge potential in the UK market. It was this capability that attracted Burton’s to establish a long term partnership with Clifton to supply printed packaging materials and pack the biscuits at Azpac. A new, specialist packaging operation for Burton’s Mini Jammie Dodgers & Wagon Wheel biscuits was required, with a total investment amounting to more than £500,000, including the new Titan slitter.