Packaging manufacturer plans to fold Leeds site with the loss of 59 jobs
Nearly 60 jobs are expected to be lost at a Leeds manufacturer after the group revealed plans to close the site this summer.
VPK has begun consulting with its staff as it looks to close its Yeadon site this August, less than five years after it took on the plant as part of its acquisition of Encase.
Jeremy Anderson, managing director of VPK UK and Ireland, said: “Over recent years, the business has faced significant challenges and, as a result, has been losing money.
“Despite everyone’s best efforts to reverse the situation, we do not see the outlook improving to the level or speed that gives us the confidence that we can prevent further losses.
“We have therefore made the difficult decision to transfer the current production volume to other VPK sites, ensuring our customer’s experience no disruption in their service.”
VPK Group is headquartered in Belgium and employs 7,000 people in 21 countries. It has five other UK sites, including Selby.
Its UK business contributes around 10% of the group’s £1.6bn annual sales, with most of its corrugated packaging going into the food and beverage sector.
VPK’s most recent published accounts for its UK business, for 2023, showed it generated profits of £4.6m.
