Over a million UK households can look forward to tucking in to a fresher tasting turkey this Christmas. And it’s all down to heat sealing machinery specialist Packaging Automation, which will be hiring out at least nine of its MAP-V gas flushing machines to leading M&S supplier Uniq Prepared Foods in October, as the countdown for December 25 gets underway.

Each turkey joint supplied to M&S is packed in a smooth-wall foil tray and sealed with a film lid.

Uniq already has two machines on permanent hire but, with the increased demand at Christmas, additional help is essential. Packaging Automation reckons to have over 250 heat sealing machines out on hire at any given time.

Says commercial manager Samantha Penn: “To have nine of them in one place is justification for our decision to set hiring alongside our sales.”