Two of Britain's best-known packaging engineering companies, Autowrappers and Europack, have been bought, for an undisclosed sum, by shareholders of Bradman Lake, the global group that designs, manufactures and markets advanced top and end load cartoning machinery.
The acquisition brings flow and roll wrapping, shrinkwrapping, corrugated case packaging, filling and capping experience to Bradman Lake’s existing specialist portfolio. Bradman Lake Group ceo Graham Hayes believes the acquisition will bring immediate benefits to customers: “Autowrappers and Europack machinery naturally complements the Bradman Lake carton erecting, loading and sealing range. Our customers are increasingly searching for a fully integrated, comprehensive packaging solution from a single source -– and that’s exactly what we can now offer.
“Very few enterprises are able to deliver the range of technologies and products we now have, together with the level of support we offer as the original equipment manufacturer.”
Following the acquisition, the Autowrappers, Europack and existing Bradman Lake companies will be combined into one operating business, Bradman Lake Group, offering a fully integrated packaging service.
No immediate changes are expected to the 123-strong Europack operation at Beccles in Suffolk or the Autowrappers business in Norwich, which employs 96 personnel. Bradman Lake employs around 100 personnel at its Bristol HQ, and also has sites in the US and Germany.
A spokesman told Packaging Today the plan is to grow the new business, “taking advantage of the various complementary strengths being brought together”.