pff packaginglimited thermopak, the tyneside manufacturer which specialises in moulded trays and carriers for the food industry, has been acquired by yorkshirebased pff packaging.the undisclosed deal will bring thermopak&rsquos 65,000 sq ft manufacturing facility in gateshead under pff&rsquos group control, bringing its total output up to 60m units per month.pff packaging directors andy and michelle bairstow joined thermopak in august when the firm was bought out of administration by bill mapstone, the previous chairman of pilgrim foods group.at the time, administrators from kpmg confirmed thermopak had suffered a continued downturn in trading and difficulties in meeting its debt obligations.thermopak employs 70 people at its albany road plant &ndash which pff directors have now earmarked for investment in new plant and equipment throughout 2015.pff&rsquos group managing director andy bairstow commented &ldquothe acquisition of thermopak was a natural progression for us as there is a great deal of synergy within the two businesses.&ldquothe extra capacity which the acquisition brings, combined with the capability to manufacture in a broad range of polymers, will allow us to significantly increase our market share within existing markets and expand into new areas.&rdquothe pff group now employs around 170 staff and supplies a diverse range of products to blue chip businesses, including a number of uk supermarkets.the £18m turnover firm operates from a 97,000 sq ft factory in the west yorkshire town of keighley. a sister business, arvensis, specialises in recycling plastic bottles into plastic sheets and packaging.
