Former world champion boxer Carl Froch officially opened the site yesterday, having lived in the area as a child.

We work with big brands in food and supermarkets, and the extension will make the site one of the biggest family-run factories in the sector.

Andre Wilkins, MD, who worked with his dad and founder Ken Wilkins, told an invited audience how the company was set up as a print business working from rented rooms to a global business with plants in Sri Lanka and other parts of Asia.

Justin Wilkins, sales director, said while the investment would increase production and push sustainability, the staff were the most important part of the business.

“We’ve got some targets that we want to achieve. We’re the largest independent carton company in the UK. So we’re wanting to keep our foot down on the accelerator pedal. It will also give us some extra capacity to assist in the environmental push towards cardboard packaging and away from plastic.”