Paper manufacturer invests £1m in growth
A SHROPSHIRE paper products manufacturer has invested £1m into the growth of the business with the installation of new machinery and a sophisticated Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system.
Telford-based Peter Grant Papers said the investment would allow it to be more responsive to customer needs and offer greater flexibility on orders.
Paul Weddle, sales and marketing director, said it was vital customers knew they could rely on the firm to cater for their needs.
“This philosophy is the driving force behind the significant investment,” he said.
“With the new machinery and information technology infrastructure we can be even more flexible, responding quickly to our customers’ particular requirements.”
The new plant, installed in the company’s Telford conversion facility, comprises a £750,000 semi automatic re-winder and £60,000 to upgrade an existing folding machine that produces interfold towels.
The semi automatic rewinder produces the firm’s core range of rolled paper products, making over 200 rolls in less than 10 minutes.
The upgrade to the folding machine means the company has a greater capacity for embossing the product, which improves its absorbency and produce a more appealing product.
The investment in the new ERP system equates to approximately £150,000.
“Efficient order processing and the accurate forecasting of production and delivery are vital to our customers,” said the firm’s quality and health & safety manager Phil Kinvig.
“This new ERP system – Microsoft NAV version 9 – will integrate the whole process, from the moment the order is taken to the despatch of the final invoice.
“At a glance we will be able to see how long it will take to manufacture a specific product, based on access to the raw materials, production schedules and distribution timetables.”
The company is phasing the introduction of the ERP system over a 12 month period to avoid disruption.
“Five new servers and the accompanying network infrastructure have just been installed and by April the forecasting and production planning modules will be in place. During the busy season we’ll make sure there is no risk to production by focusing on elements like report production, picking up on warehousing and logistics during the quieter period,” added Mr Kinvig.
