Print and packaging firm injects £2m in production line

PACKAGING firm Roberts Mart & Co has created 16 jobs after investing £2m in new equipment.

The firm’s Leeds production facilities at Aire Valley have been boosted by the acquisition of printing technology for the flexible packaging industry.

The business employs 170 people across both its Leeds sites.

Roberts Mart & Co can trace its roots back to the reign of Queen Victoria, and was founded by William Roberts in 1852 as a paper merchants.

William and Ben Roberts are the sixth generation of the Roberts family to run the firm.

Sales director, Ben Roberts, said: “It has been a busy year for the company. This significant investment in new equipment is possible because we have a healthy order book – with a good number of new orders coming through the pipeline as well.

“We are seeing growth across the board, particularly food where we are seeing much more opportunity in snacks and confectionery.

“Normally you would spread capital expenditure out over a period of time but the amount of new business we are winning dictates that this time it has been made all at once. The slitter is in place already, while the laminator and printing press are coming in during August.”

This latest increase in capital expenditure takes Roberts Mart’s overall investment to just over £17.5m over the last 10 years.