Aluminium tray maker The Nicholl Group has completed a restructure of its manufacturing network that has involved moving production to the UK from a German facility
The business has ended production at its subsidiary Bachmann’s site in Germany in a restructure that the company said is designed to make production more efficient and to improve customer service
Production facilities have moved to the Nicholl Food Packaging site in Cannock and the French Ecopla operation. The Bachmann site’s warehousing, distribution and retail packing operations, meanwhile, have moved to Ecopla’s operation in Belgium.
Bachmann is, however, retaining its sales and administration offices in Germany and will, according to a statement on the changes, concentrate on further developing its presence in German, Eastern European and Scandinavian markets.
News of the restructure’s completion comes eight months after industrial investment business Bawtry Investments bought the £60m-turnover group from its previous owner Barclays Ventures.
Nicholl’s statement also said that the transfer of much of the Bachmann equipment to Nicholl Food Packaging in Cannock will make the site one of the aluminium foil tray sector’s largest and most efficient manufacturing units in the world, with 65 presses.
‘Well-earned reputation’
Nicholl Group chief executive John Griffiths said the company had a “well-earned reputation” for its products and customer service, but said that “in these challenging times, customers are also looking for the best possible cost competitiveness”.
“By enhancing our manufacturing facilities in the UK and France, we can ensure that we maximise both our quality and our efficiencies, as well as our ability to provide a fast and flexible supply to customers throughout Europe.This will deliver added value to all our customers.
“At the same time, we now have a dedicated sales and development team in Germany who can focus on maximising opportunities for the Bachmann brand in important and emerging Northern European markets.”
