19 January 2009 – Job cuts, bankruptcies, downsizing; all symptoms of the recession hitting UK businesses.  Not for Automated Packaging Systems Europe though.  As it celebrates quarter of a century in Europe, the company  is bucking the trend of financial gloom and opening a £2m extension at its European headquarters in Worcestershire.

The extension sees the world leader in flexible bagging solutions gain an extra 50%, 25,000 sq ft, of manufacturing and warehouse space to serve its European customer base.

“Twenty five years as a supply chain partner has seen us grow to produce about 900 million bags per year,” says Peter Wylie, Managing Director of Automated Packaging Systems Europe.  “We’d reached capacity in our existing premises and, despite the economic climate, we’ve got some very positive growth plans for the next five to ten years.  

“We’re still budgeting for growth in 2009,” he emphasises.  “The extension will give us the platform to achieve it.

“Our customers span many markets across a multitude of industries and geographies, from plumbing fittings to medical components, electronics to food.  Our success is no accident; we’ve built the business on its ability to supply flexible, cost-effective, high impact bagging solutions to satisfy our customers and, most importantly, their customers too.

While acknowledging the challenges facing firms during recession, he says Automated Packaging Systems are well placed to weather the storm.

“Automated Packaging Systems’ bagging solutions are able to offer savings in costs and increases in production efficiency,” he says. “Plus great packaging helps sell more, and we deliver great packaging, every time.”

Automated Packaging Systems, is a market leader in bagging systems. Our popular Print and Pack system is a flexible and versatile solution, designed to reduce costs and increase productivity.

Automated Packaging Systems, Inc., headquartered in Streetsboro, Ohio, has been a world leader in designing and manufacturing printed flexible bag packaging systems for more than 40 years, and is the original inventor of Autobag® bagging machines and pre-opened bags. The company has over 30,000 packaging systems in operation worldwide.  Automated Packaging Systems’ European Head Office and manufacturing facility is located in Malvern, UK, and the company satisfies European customer requirements through business units strategically located in Belgium, France and Germany and via a comprehensive European network of distributors and agents.