Lesters

SAFE, SECURE SOLUTION FOR SPORTS CAR COMPONENT MANUFACTURER

Lesters — 14/01/2019

S Lester were approached by an automotive component company in order to create a safe, secure, and reliable packaging solution for sports car radiators, with an added hope of keeping tooling to a minimum. The radiator needed to be able to be stored and transferred stably in any and all planes of movement and, as such, needed a buffer to keep it safe from all angles.

To begin tackling the task, the S Lester team developed a roll up buffer across the width panel to raise the product off the floor by 20mm. They also created further buffers across the other axes of the product in order to fully visualise the correct dimensions of the finished packaging. Once these buffers had been finalised, a standard 0201 glued case was created. This allowed tracking of the dimensions incorporating the buffers to be performed easier.

Among various complications with the task that needed to be worked around, were features on the product that were asymmetrical. Specific components needed to be fitted to allow for this on either end. As a standard roll-up buffer was unsuited to accommodate the features, a specialised squared version was created that could be fitted around the ends. The buffer was able to fit perfectly, whilst preventing movement in the horizontal or vertical plane.

Overall, the solution provided by S Lester took into account the initially established requirements from the client and accommodated them all accordingly into the finished solution.

For more information regarding automotive packaging please visit our website www.slesterpacking.co.uk or contact us directly 01543 683374

Hole in one as Lesters and Loughborough University deliver new Boccia ramp and golf game

Lesters — 23/01/2024

One of the UK’s fastest growing manufacturers of high-performance packaging has joined forces with Dr George Torrens at Loughborough University to develop a specialist ‘Boccia’ ramp.

Lesters, which employs over 60 people at its factory in Burntwood, has used its strong design values and knowledge of cardboard to come up with a fully recyclable product for the paralympic sport that involves propelling balls from a seated position to land as close as possible to the ‘Jack’.

The corrugated fibreboard ramp has been trialled by Special Olympics Lincolnshire sports coaches Clare Pattison and Angela Morley over the last six months and could soon be replacing the more costly commercial alternatives currently being used by athletes.

Better still, the company and Dr Torrens have gone one stage further by developing an inclusive golf game from the same material, where players can send golf balls, Boccia/tennis balls and even bean bags down the ramp into five different holes.

It has been designed to be foldable so it can fit into a standard car boot, making it easy to transport between events and schools.

Greg Burton, Design Manager at Lesters, commented: “We are always looking for ways where we can harness the power of corrugated fibreboard for the ‘greater good’ and the opportunity to produce ramps for the superb game of Boccia was too good to turn down.

“I’ve had a great relationship with Dr Torrens, Senior Lecturer in Industrial Design and Assistive Products at Loughborough University, for some time. He’s the grandfather of one of the Special Olympic athletes so had a vested interest in coming up with a solution that is effective and easy to produce.”

He went on to add: “The first challenge was coming up with the ramp that could be used by Boccia players and that’s exactly what we did, designing a 100% recyclable product that delivers excellent performance yet is one tenth of the cost of existing alternatives.

“Following successful trials by a number of sports coaches, we are hoping these will be bought in volume from various UK and European suppliers and distributors.”

The second element of the challenge was to develop an all-inclusive game, something Lesters embraced in a matter of weeks.

Utilising the skills of its 4-strong design team, state-of-the-art CAD design software and prototyping table, the company was able to deliver a solution and a limited number of games quickly and within budget.

Clare Pattison, a sports coach at Special Olympics Lincolnshire, added her support: “All the athletes have been drawn to the inclusive golf game, with players queuing up to use it.

“This has massively benefited their social skills, such as taking turns and making friends, as well as helping athletes to adapt to standing sideways, with more able and confident players using a golf club and ball.”

Fellow sports coach Angela Morley continued: “Families have also been more actively involved with their children whilst playing, which is a really good thing. We even had a parent engage with their son for five minutes, passing them balls to send down the ramp – this is astonishing considering he previously had preferred to spin around the room on his own for the entire session.”

Lesters has focused recent expansion on creating an ecosystem around the company’s core box range and now offers clients an industry-leading design and innovation centre, access to a warehousing service that includes just-in-time delivery and a signature delivery service that is ideal for large, bulky, or expensive products.

Whilst the golf game was initially produced in low volume Computer Aided Design table versions, there is the possibility to take the design into a higher volume flatbed operation if demand dictates.

Greg concluded: “To our knowledge this is one of the very few times that corrugated fibreboard has been used to manufacture a product that isn’t just used as packaging. It could open the floodgates for the industry and designers to use more of the sustainable medium in the future for other applications.”

For further information, please visit www.lesterspackaging.co.uk

Lesters Logistics puts its signature to new service after major investment.

Lesters — 16/06/2023

Lesters Logistics, which has sites in Burntwood and Nuneaton as part of the Lesters Group, is now offering new and existing clients access to its ‘Signature Logistics’ service that is ideal for large, bulky or expensive products that require more attention than standard packages due to their complexity or fragility.

The company has purchased specialist new delivery vehicles, put its staff through the ADR Certification for transporting hazardous goods and funded a CTE Pianoplan stair climbing trolley.

This is used to manoeuvre heavy items in narrow stairways and allowing access to multi-level facilities, utilising great load capacity, a sliding and horizontally or vertical reclining platform plate and 45% gradeability.

It marks the next stage in the firm’s growth and the latest achievement in a year that has seen it double sales to over £700,000 and complete a recruitment drive that has seen the workforce increase by 25% to 10 people.

“This is a big moment for our business, as the ‘Signature Logistics’ service is something we’ve been working on for some time and we’re now in a position to roll it out to customers who are transporting critical products across the UK and Europe,” explained Reiss Newport, Director at Lesters Logistics.

“Who is it suited to? Well companies who have expensive, fragile or complex requirements and want to ensure that their consignments arrive on time, intact and, importantly, that their brand values are maintained right to the point of delivery – even though they are not directly involved.”

He went on to add: “Our first clients have already signed up and we expect this new offer to generate more than £250,000 of turnover in the first twelve months.”

Lesters ‘Signature Logistics’ has been carefully designed by logistics experts and goes above the usual delivery offer by providing pre and post site inspection, delicate handling that reflects the nature of the product and safe and clean transportation using the firm’s growing fleet of modern vehicles.

Specialists are also trained in assembling before shipping and on site at the end customer, with the firm’s new MRP system giving clients real-time traceability on the status of their delivery.

“It’s another string to our bow and reinforces our desire to be a complete solutions provider, from consulting on the right packaging and manufacturing the box, to advising on the very best logistics option,” added Reiss.

“The Lesters ecosystem is proven to take costs out of the equation and provide complete peace of mind. We’ve already seen lots of companies switching from plastic packaging to corrugated boxes due to the Plastic Packaging Tax that was introduced in April last year.

“We’re not stopping with this service either. A recent refurbishment of our office facilities has just been completed and the management team is now ready to press the button on additional storage and warehousing facilities in the Midlands.”

Lesters Logistics was purchased by Burntwood-based Lesters three years ago and is part of a group that can now offer a full packaging supply ecosystem, from creation and production of corrugated boxes and bespoke packaging to storage and distribution of goods.

Its central location at the heart of the UK makes it an ideal logistics partner for more than 150 different clients every year and the firm now offers both ‘stock and serve’ and ‘pick and pack’ operations on behalf of customers looking to free up their space and manage requirements remotely.

The company’s current fleet features 3.5 tonne vehicles, 18 tonne trucks and articulated lorries.

S. Lester Packing Materials Exhibits at Groundbreaking Virtual Careers Fair.

Lesters — 23/03/2021

Organized by the Made in Group, the Made Futures virtual careers week (22nd-26th March) is aimed at jobseekers, graduates and students looking for opportunities in manufacturing. At the forefront of innovation, the exhibition will showcase virtual 3D stands with a series of touchpoints for a ‘life like’ experience and S. Lester will be part of the groundbreaking experience.

We are just one of many companies exhibiting at the Made Futures Virtual Careers week. Adapting to the times and getting up to speed with the digital era, our stand encapsulates everything you would expect from a physical exhibition. The multiple touchpoints will take visitors to different information available on the stand from ‘about us’, to product/ service brochures and jobs available.

Exhibitors at the interactive virtual exhibition highlight the manufacturing sector’s dedication to overcoming current and ongoing sector challenges. With millions of UK residents losing their jobs, coupled with the existing skills gap in UK manufacturing, we will be available at the Made Futures exhibition to offer our support to jobseekers and find our next employees.

There’s still time, attend the exhibition to visit our stand and to talk directly with a member of our team:

Made Futures Careers Week

New Branding and Website For S Lester Packing Materials

Lesters — 11/12/2018

It's been exciting and busy few months at S Lester Packing Material. Not only have we been busy devloping our brand , but today we are delighted to announce the launch of our new website. Please have a look and let us know what you think.

www.slesterpacking.co.uk

£18m sales milestone a perfect 40th birthday present for Lesters

Lesters — 18/05/2023

A major disruptor to the packaging sector is celebrating a big birthday in style after seeing turnover rise to £18m.

Lesters turned 40 years old in May and the management team immediately signalled its intention for further investment, building on the £7m acquisition of two state-of-the-art TCY large-format casemakers that have revolutionised production at its Burntwood facility.

Founded in 1983 by Stephen Hutchinson, the company has also just put the finishing touches on a dedicated photography and videography studio to help it promote its new large box offering and to increase the content on its social media channels.

This latest advancement marks what has been a whirlwind period of growth for the firm and is a long way away from where it all started in a 1000 sq.ft unit in Walsall and a static caravan that was used as the ‘office’.

“In the early days we were focused on selling used cardboard boxes and tea chests and we had very little technology in the business,” explained Billy Hutchinson, Managing Director and son of founder Stephen.

“It was all built by my dad’s hard work and his ability to sell and these two traits still drive Lesters today. All we’ve done is added some state-of-the-art equipment and industry-leading processes into the mix and this has helped us become the UK’s leading specialist in big box packaging for the aerospace, automotive, bike, manufacturing and third-party logistics space.”

He continued: “There has been some big milestones along the way, with the first being our major machinery investment in 2009 then the move to our current home on Burntwood two years later.

“The pandemic saw online shopping soar and our boxes were in demand from retailers and the medical sector. I think we saw 120% growth during those difficult times.”

Lesters, which celebrated the 40^th birthday with a big party for team members and their families last week, manufactures millions of corrugated boxes, large format packaging and heavy-duty cases ever year.

In addition to major advancements in technology, there has also been a strong focus on investment in people, with the workforce now reaching nearly 70 – a 20% increase on this time last year.

Several senior appointments have been made as part of this expansion, with Mark Furman, Greg Burton and Mark Aucott joining as Head of Sales, Design Manager and Head of Automotive Business Development respectively, and Ash Dickinson joining the business development team.

Stephen Hutchinson, who still works in the business, went on to add: “I’m very proud of how Lesters has grown and how my two sons (Billy and Scott) have worked together to create a firm that is one of the most exciting in the packaging industry.

Billy concluded: “Recognising our 40^th birthday was an important thing to do and said a big thank you to our amazing team, who really are the heartbeat of our business.

“We can’t stand still though, instead we need to continue planning for the next 40 years. This will involve organic growth, keeping an eye out for potential acquisitions and the opportunity to find some land to build our own factory and storage facilities.”

Staffordshire packaging firm manufactures £1.8 million machinery investment

Lesters — 06/08/2020

Burntwood-based S Lester Packing Materials has invested in new machinery after securing a £1.8 million funding package from Lombard Asset Finance.

The firm, which specialises in the design and production of heavy-duty packaging solutions, has used the finance to purchase a new state-of-the-art machine – a TCY jumbo casemaker – to manufacture large boxes.

The investment will enable S Lester Packing Materials to meet existing client demands and help the business to dramatically increase both quality and efficiency on large format and heavy-duty products.

Founded in 1983, S Lester Packing Materials offers customers an end-to-end service, from packaging design and manufacture, to storage, fulfilment and delivery. The company
currently operates from its 45,000 sq ft site on Mount Road and employs 35 staff. The firm has continued to operate through lockdown and has ambitions to grow its turnover, which is in excess of £7 million.

Billy Hutchinson, Managing Director, said: “Our jumbo casemaker marks a significant investment that strengthens our position in the market. This machine is the first of its kind in the UK, enabling us to build on our reputation as ‘Big Box Specialists’ within the UK.

“The funding from Lombard Asset Finance has allowed us to enhance our offering for both current and prospective customers by increasing productivity and reducing lead times, as well as increasing the quality of our finished product.

“Our investment will give us the capacity to grow as a business and we look forward to continuing to service clients in the West Midlands, throughout the UK and across Europe.”

Matthew Brown, Lombard Asset Finance Business Development Director, said: “We have been working with S Lester for the last two years to ensure the firm could make the
significant investment in its machinery and fulfil its growth ambitions going forward. The firm is focussed on the next stage of expansion and we will continue to support Billy and the team with further investment.”

Two New Recruits

Lesters — 06/11/2020

At S Lester Packing Materials we never stand still. And we’re delighted to welcome two new members to our ever-growing team. Sarah Buffery joins our customer services team, and Carl Wootton joins as Projects Manager. Both have extensive experience of the packaging industry and both will be using all their knowledge and expertise to help us live up to our promise as Big Box Specialists.

New Website Launched

Lesters — 20/11/2020

Our sister company S L Packaging & Transport has a new website. Designed to showcase their complete offering, the website details their warehousing and logistics capabilities, provides details of the packaging consumables they stock, and allows you to request an immediate transport quote to anywhere in the UK or Europe. To see the website in action and to find out how S L Packaging & Transport can help your business, visit www.slptl.co.uk.

Chasetown FC scores ‘Lesters’ sponsorship deal

Lesters — 23/10/2023

One of Staffordshire’s fastest growing manufacturers has kicked-off a new commercial deal with Chasetown Football Club.

Lesters, which is the UK’s leading independent producer of large format corrugated cases and high-performance packaging, has become a Sponsorship Partner at ‘the Scholars’, increasing its commitment to backing good community causes.

The company will net a hospitality package and become key sponsors at every game, whilst discussions are already in place about how it can help the Northern Premier League team boost the profile of its first team and its rapidly expanding youth set-up.

There are also plans to use the club’s stadium facilities to hold regular sales meetings off-site and entertaining the firm’s growing army of clients with some proper grassroots football.

Stephen Trow, Marketing Manager at Lesters, commented: “Our state-of-the-art HQ is just a mile away from Chasetown FC so when we were looking to sponsor a sporting team it made perfect sense.

“We are passionate about the community we operate in and have a strong ESG policy in place that sees us invest in developing local people, providing job opportunities and financially backing good causes within a 10-mile radius of the factory.”

He continued: “The Scholars have a fantastic set-up and, as well as building a new stand, have unveiled plans for a new artificial pitch to provide a sustainable future for the different teams that play there.

“What really impressed Lesters is the way the club backs the youth system, where there is a strong desire to bring local youngsters through and set them on their way to a semi-pro or professional career.”

Lesters is a real Staffordshire success story, taking turnover from £8m in 2021 to an anticipated £20m by the close of this year.

It has achieved this growth by creating an ecosystem around its core large box packaging offer that helps clients achieve cost savings and supply chain efficiencies by accessing its design and logistics services.

Over £7m has also been spent on two state-of-the-art TCY Casemakers and taking on 20 new team members from the local area.

Stephen continued: “Chasetown FC is the latest local cause we’ve got behind having sponsored the Burntwood Wakes Festival in July, helping to fund their music stage.

Steve Jones, Chairman of Chasetown FC, concluded: “We are so passionate about building successful football teams that local people can be proud of and receiving the backing of businesses like Lesters is so important to us achieving our goal.

“Non-League is a completely different ball game to life in the Premier League. Companies who get involved will get a first-hand view of the difference their support makes.

Sustainable Solution for Automotive Component Manufacturer

Lesters — 04/12/2018

Packaging specialist S Lester sprang into action when an automotive component manufacturing company approached the firm requesting bespoke packaging for electronic demisters for buses. The manufacturer's existing packaging supplier had quoted it a solution using multiple materials, including foam, which garnered high unit costs. This combination of materials also created difficulties with recycling.

In order to provide a viable solution, the S Lester team needed to focus on creating something cost-effective, highly protective, and 100% environmentally responsible. We were confident in our ability to meet this challenge.

Beginning research on the project, S Lester found that the item included five internal fragile glass elements. The pack therefore needed to be especially protective, in case of being dropped at any point along the supply chain. The team studied the product’s technical specifications, as well as visiting the manufacturing facility to measure the physical item.

The product had a fixed wiring harness protruding from one side. To keep this secure, consideration had to be taken for the positioning of the wire in transit. The finished pack was required to fit a 1200X1000 pallet, utilising as much of the pallet cube as possible, so as to reduce transit costs.

To address the challenge, S Lester developed bespoke corrugated fittings to sit within a standard outer case that would secure the product whilst also creating an air buffer of protection around it. The final pack was entirely corrugated, instead of being comprised of multiple materials. This meant that it was space efficient, 100% recyclable, and more cost-effective than any solution offered by competitors.

As pictured, the final product contained small, easy to assemble ancillary parts. These not only protected the enclosed component but also provided more protection for the main item, slotting in around the central piece.

For more Information regarding automotive packaging please visit www.slesterpacking.co.uk or call us direct 01543 683374

A SECURE, SELF-STRENGTHENING PACK FOR A HARDWARE SUPPLIER

Lesters — 08/03/2019

S Lester were recently reached out to by a specialist hardware supplier to the architectural ironmongery, partitioning, and door manufacturing industry. They had a reel product that they required a pack redesign for. The current design, consisting of two circular double wall pieces of board taped to either end of a cylindrical fiberboard tube, was unprofessional in appearance and required a lot of time and skill to create, proving to be cost-ineffective.

In order to better understand the task at hand, S Lester broke the design down into sub-sections. The main strength of support currently came from the cylindrical corrugated fiberboard, therefore, a redesign of this was prioritised. Other sub-sections included how the two circular pieces of board were attached to the fiberboard.

In designing the new pack, S Lester had to ensure that it was secure, as, without a sturdy, self-strengthening design, the product would fail. The product would also need to be assembled in a shorter time frame than the previous pack without the need for additional material, e.g. tape/glue.

To identify solutions to these challenges, the team developed various prototypes. These would explore a range of concepts that would try to replicate the strength and usability of the current product. From these prototypes, the team could narrow down the concepts until one design was proven to be the most appropriate.

Ultimately, the final designed pack was split into four separate sections. This enabled the strength to be evenly distributed across the product, rather than putting pressure on a taped-up fixed point. The sections were made up a single material, meaning assembly was both faster and easier. This also meant that the pack was 100% recyclable and could be easily disposed of through established recycling chains. This met and exceeded all of the requirements set out by the client in the initial brief.

For more information regarding our beskpoke packaging please visit www.slesterpacking.co.uk or contact us directly on 01543 683374

Packaging innovation leads Lesters award-winning charge

Lesters — 25/10/2023

Innovative packaging, designed to support the roll-out of electric charging points, has claimed one of the top prizes in the UK Packaging Awards 2023.

Lesters, which provides millions of corrugated boxes, large format packaging and heavy-duty cases every year, beat off competition from 11 industry rivals to win the Best Packaging of a New Product – sponsored PAGI.

More than 700 people attended the high-profile event at Grosvenor House in London and heard how the Burntwood-based manufacturer had met the bespoke requirements of Rolec, the UK’s leading manufacturer and supplier of EV chargepoints.

With sales for electric cars going through the roof, the customer had seen a massive increase in demand for its products, yet the packaging hadn’t really kept up with its innovation and growth.

Led by Design Manager Greg Burton and his three-strong team, Lesters came up with a new solution for its Zura intelligent charger that was optimised for the courier service, removed all plastic from the equation and upgraded the end user ‘opening’ experience.

Following numerous prototypes, Rolec settled on a unique one-piece design using a high-quality print large format box, with the print carried through the internals and the box featuring integrated fittings.

The packaging, which has reduced the number of SKUs from 4 to just 1, is suitable for the complete product range, including the 5 metre tethered, 5m double tethered and 10m single tethered options.

Lesters’ Greg Burton commented: “This is a massive moment for our business, especially considering the level of competition we faced from some of the biggest names in our sector.

“It also underlined our ongoing commitment to innovate the world of packaging by pushing design that offers both practical solutions and a great-looking, aesthetically pleasing product that consumers want to buy.”

“As a company we have invested more than £200,000 into a new design and prototyping centre and it is really paying off.”

The main feature of the Zura box is the ‘sell’, with the pack utilising form, function and print to ensure the customer opens the box like it is opening a book, or, in other words, ‘starting a journey’. Once the two centralised hinges have been opened this reveals the stylish Zura charger, one of its main selling points.

Lesters’ design has also been optimised for palletising perfectly onto a UK standard pallet which is ideal for racking and the courier service. The one-piece design also reduces pallet movements and increases efficiencies.

Greg concluded: “Like all of our work we want to make our packaging as environmentally sustainable as possible, with the Rolec solution made from fully sustainable corrugated material that has no plastic, can go through any kerbside recycling worldwide and is scalable for future product development with the applied design principles.

“There are also thousands of tonnes of carbon savings through optimised palletisation and supply chain efficiencies.”

S. Lester Packing Materials pleased to support vaccine roll-out.

Lesters — 26/02/2021

In these unprecedented times we’re glad to help in any way we can. So, when we were approached by [Shelfspan - link], who are urgently supplying bespoke modular trolleys to newly created COVID vaccination centres, we we’re delighted to help them reinvent their current packaging. Using some clever thinking we were able to repackage the contents of their box to fit better, provide better protection and increase stacking strength. More importantly, we were able go from enquiry to prototype to delivery in a matter of days – particularly impressive given the current supply shortages in the industry.

To find out more about how our state-of-the-art design and production facilities can help you to maximise your packaging visit www.slesterpacking.co.uk or call 01543 68 37 74.

Lesters Director Urges Government to Help with Energy and Material Costs

Lesters — 24/03/2022

The boss of one of the UK’s large packaging specialists is urging the Government to step in to help with spiralling energy and materials costs.

Billy Hutchinson, Managing Director of Lesters, believes his sector is often overlooked when it comes to support, yet finds itself faced with a potential 30% increase in paper prices in the next month.

A number of European mills have already shut their doors, and this is going to magnify the focus on those that are left, causing inflation in charges and the possibility of instability of supply.

It comes after the Burntwood company has boosted its sales by 120% and taken on another 15 staff to cope with the rise in demand.

“There’s a perfect storm about to hit and there’s no way our sector can avoid it,” explained Billy, who has worked in the packaging industry for more than 18 years.

“It’s a triple whammy of energy, fuel and material prices all rocketing at the same time and, just the prospect of this, is enough to make people think twice about spending and this is translating into a freeze in the economy.”

He continued: “We’re already looking at how we can mitigate some of the challenges in our control and have invested heavily in new technology (which uses less energy) and switching to more solar power. This isn’t going to be a quick fix, more a long-term strategy.

“The packaging sector is taken for granted. People just see boxes, but it’s how everything is transported and crucial to everyday life. We’re going to need support and Government has a role to play in providing subsidies or tax cuts around energy usage.”

Lesters, which has become a certified CarbonNeutral® company, has become one of the major disruptors to the packaging sector.

More than £6m has been invested or in the process of being spent to ensure the firm can supply corrugated boxes, large format, heavy-duty cases and bespoke packaging to clients in the automotive, aerospace, bike manufacturing, mail order and third-party logistics space.

The business is also exploring a way of creating its own eco-system where it has full control over the whole of the packaging production process, from print ink and design, right through to distribution through Lesters Logistics in Nuneaton.

This was the first acquisition by the current management team, with plans in place to look at other complementary businesses that give it greater market share, access to new customers and wider geographic reach.

Billy concluded: “Our fuel bills have gone up from £3k to £5k per week, material prices could hit a 30% increase and our fixed term electricity contract is up at the end of the year. There will be companies in our market where those agreements finish earlier, and they will be contending with the new prices very soon - that’s going to cause major distortion.

“We’re not asking for something special, just to receive the same Government support which other sectors receive, such as aerospace and automotive. After all, without our boxes many industries would fail to operate.”

For further information, please visit www.lesterspackaging.co.uk

S. Lester Packing celebrates prestigious awards shortlisting.

Lesters — 21/09/2020

We’re delighted to be nominated for a UK Packaging Award in the category of Investment Project of the Year. It’s a reward for the £3 million investment we made to install our TCY Jumbo Casemaker, including making a significant investment into creating the infrastructure that allowed us to house one of the most efficient production lines in Europe.

This large format, two colour machine features in-line gluing, stitching and die-cutting. It is suited to high volume and heavy-duty work, handling a wide range of corrugated board grades, from single wall through to triple wall, offering both quality and efficiency on large format and heavy-duty case work.

It has a 2500 x 4800mm maximum blank size and we chose to further automate the line with the addition of a Fossaluzza pre-feeder, stacker and handling system and PZ in-line stitcher unit. We also invested in a new automated conveyor system, linking our existing and new machinery to improve the efficiency of both.

This TCY Jumbo Casemaker is the first of its type in the UK and it sets us apart from many others in the big box sector allowing us to build on our reputation as a respected key trade partner to the UK corrugated industry, and to live up to our promise as Big Box Specialists.

S Lester packages up major investment and record sales with a name change and new brand

Lesters — 03/08/2021

Demand for moving goods around the country and a boom in home shopping has seen a Burntwood manufacturer report a 150% increase in sales during the pandemic.

S Lester Packing Materials, which employs 45 people at its two sites in Staffordshire and Nuneaton, has used its expertise in corrugated boxes, large format, heavy-duty cases and bespoke packaging to help clients in the automotive, aerospace, bike manufacturing, mail order and third-party logistics space.

The company is now planning to build on this successful period and a £4.5m investment in infrastructure and new technology by taking the opportunity to reposition itself for the future with the business now known simply as Lesters.

A new corporate identity and brand strategy will reflect its reputation as the large packaging specialist, a move away from simply ‘Big Boxes’.

“We’ve been in business for nearly 40 years, and during that time we’ve never stood still. However, the last 2 years has seen us really push forward with our growth plans, investing heavily in our site, technology, and people to create improved capability, capacity, and efficiency,” explained Billy Hutchinson, Director of Lesters.

“All of these changes mean we are now seen as a trusted supplier and an alternative for larger customers in a world where size and capability really matters. The name and brand change reflect this and brings our innovative design and prototyping facilities to the fore.”

He continued: “We don’t just sell boxes…we offer complete, bespoke packaging solutions and are helping to disrupt a marketplace that traditionally has been dominated by two or three big players.”

The last eighteen-months have been a whirlwind period for Lesters, with fifteen staff taken on across production and in admin/support, whilst a second shift has been introduced to keep up with demand.

This has helped to support the design and manufacture of a growing range of products, including octabins, pallet boxes, heavy duty packaging, bespoke die cut units, corrugated cartons and retail ready packaging.

A key driver in recent growth has been the decision to invest £3m in a new TCY Jumbo Casemaker, the first of its type to be operational in the UK.

Since coming on-line, the technology has significantly increased both the quality and efficiency of its large format and heavy-duty case work, enhancing Lesters’ position in the UK market as the large packaging specialists.

Scott Hutchinson, Operations Manager, picked up the story: “The ability to create a clear group structure, with common goals across the businesses, is essential as we continue to grow.

“However, it was also important to make sure we don’t lose the essence of what has made us successful, so we’ve made sure that we’ve carried through all the best parts of what we do into the new brand – and we never forget that the customer is at the heart of it all.”

Lesters, which recently purchased a transport and warehousing company to fit within the group, is now setting its sights on further investment in an additional casemaker line and the appointment of an Account Manager to cover the North of the country.

There are also plans to make additional acquisitions further up the packaging supply chain to increase the number of sites and capacity it offers.

For further information, please visit www.lesterspackaging.co.uk.

Marketing Manager Makes a Difference in Manufacturing

Lesters — 11/01/2021

S Lester Packing Materials Ltd are the Big Box Specialists, and they’re busy expanding, which has made life interesting for Marketing Manager, Steve Trow.

The role of Marketing Manager was a new one for S Lester, their expansion has led them to change their approach to marketing. They started giving much more of a focus to it, particularly digital marketing, and in mid-2020, Steve was appointed. He immediately took up the challenge of pulling together the diverse elements of the business into a clear strategy.

For Steve, the opportunity to join a thriving business was something that he was keen to take advantage of.

“I come from an advertising agency background, where it can sometimes be difficult to see what direct impact you’re having on the businesses you work with,” Steve explained.

He continued: ”Working for a manufacturing company, you get to see the results of any activity very quickly, particularly on the digital marketing side of things. It’s great when something you’ve done leads directly to the phone ringing, or to an enquiry coming in – and ultimately to help keep the production line moving!”

With his role covering such a diverse number of packaging products and business sectors, no two days are the same for Steve. One day he can be organising photoshoots, the next planning the following quarters digital marketing campaigns or updating the company’s social media.

Steve also spends a lot of time with the design team, understanding the innovative and diverse packaging solutions that the company creates for its customers. And because the business never stands still, neither does Steve’s role.

He concluded: “Whether it’s a new customer that we’re working with or a new business that we’re setting up, there’s always something happening that makes my role interesting and rewarding.”

“Manufacturing is a very entrepreneurial, fast-moving sector, and whatever challenges company’s come up against they’re always looking for new and exciting ways to overcome them. There are always opportunities available across so many areas of manufacturing businesses, and that’s what makes it such a great sector to work in.”

Lesters Head Towards 25M Turnover Target After Latest Appointments

Lesters — 27/06/2022

One of the packaging sector’s fastest growing companies is targeting further expansion after making two high-profile appointments.

Lesters, which has seen revenues grow 120% over the last twelve months, has recruited industry experts Mark Furman and Greg Burton as Head of Sales and Design Manager respectively.

The former has more than 33 years’ experience working in the industrial corrugated marketplace for blue-chip companies and is bringing his knowledge, processes and experience to support the Burntwood firm’s desire to hit £25m by 2025.

He will also be tasked with aligning state-of-the-art design and manufacturing capabilities with the group’s in-house warehousing and logistics operations, providing a seamless solution for clients in the aerospace, automotive, bike manufacturing, mail order and third-party logistics space.

Mark, who started his career as a junior designer, commented: “This is a very exciting time to be joining Lesters, with a £7m investment drive in the latest technology and a focus on providing sustainable packaging solutions proving extremely popular with customers.

“I’ll be looking to add my corporate sales experience into the mix, implementing more processes and the strategic targeting of new markets alongside the agility, creativity and innovation that is seeing us transform a sector that has been weighed down in tradition for too long.”

He went on to add: “Supply chain challenges are a big talking point for our customers. Recent events and uncertainty have created a need for many UK businesses to increase their security of supply for the critical packaging lines they require.

“This is where we come into our own, providing security of supply aligned with the most sustainable solutions.

“Working alongside our customers, we create efficient and cost-effective bespoke packaging that saves time and money, not to mention reducing their carbon footprint in the process.”

It has been a whirlwind period for Lesters over the last two years, with fifteen staff taken on across production and in admin/support, whilst a second shift has been introduced to keep up with demand.

This has helped support the design and manufacture of a growing range of products, including octabins, pallet boxes, heavy duty packaging, bespoke die cut units, corrugated cartons and retail ready packaging.

Design Innovation

The ‘large packaging’ specialist is also keen to innovate the materials it uses, as well as looking for new applications outside the world of packaging.

“Strengthening the design team was fundamental to achieving this objective and I’m really enjoying the freedom we have to challenge industry perceptions and develop new packaging solutions,” explained Greg Burton, who enjoys restoring classic Minis and building CNC machines in his spare time.

“There are some big questions out there currently. How do we make packaging lighter, greener and more versatile? How can we maximise the efficiency of the process by adding in a storage/logistics solution?

“Some of these we are finding answers for ourselves, others we are looking to collaborate with universities and R&D specialists to push the boundaries of what we can achieve with materials and applications.”

Billy Hutchinson, Managing Director of Lesters, concluded: “Attracting Greg and Mark to our team is a massive coup and sends out a strong message of where we are and where we intend going.“We’re doing things differently in the packaging sector and clients are responding by moving their business to us. More investment, more innovation and more talent will only make the Lesters offer even stronger.”

https://lesterspackaging.co.uk/

Lesters target further expansion with a £multimillion state-of-the-art machine installation and key appointment

Lesters — 01/08/2023

The UK’s leading independent manufacturer of large format corrugated cases and high-performance packaging has completed a £multimillion machinery investment and expanded its sales team with a key appointment.

Lesters, which employs over 60 people, has installed a second TCY Casemaker with Fossaluzza pre-feeder and automatic palletiser/stacker at its Burntwood factory in a bid to deliver significant growth.

This state-of-the-art N6 Casemaker is capable of printing in three colours and, importantly, will double the firm’s value added ‘regular case’ capacity and reduce lead times, giving the family business the capability to run 250 boxes per minute as opposed to the current 120 level.

Billy Hutchinson, Managing Director of Lesters, commented: “Our original TCY Jumbo Casemaker has been in for just over 18 months now and has been a real game-changer for our company.

“It helped us cope with the unprecedented demand we’ve seen, so it made perfect sense to expand our capacity with a second machine. We had to do a lot of strengthening of the floor during the installation, but the technology is now up and running and will help us target even more opportunities in a host of growing sectors.”

He continued: “One of these markets is automotive and the rapidly developing EV market that is associated with the move to electric cars. We’ve already won some exciting work here to develop bespoke packaging that protects the product, but also lends itself to the modern brand and its shelf appeal.”

To complement this investment Mark Aucott joins Lesters to head up its specialist Automotive Division, bringing 20 years of supply chain knowledge and project management expertise with him, including dealing with some of the world’s largest car manufacturers.

Boasting a strong technical background and significant experience in design and innovation, he will work with existing and target automotive clients, exploring how packaging can help OEMs lower their supply chain costs and meet their sustainability targets across all parts of the process.

“My ambition is to ensure that Lesters is the supplier of choice for the automotive world when it comes to their packaging needs,” added Mark.

“It’s not just about providing a box; it’s about optimising supply chains and building long-term partnerships that allow us to drive change in the market with new innovations. We’re already achieving this with a number of clients, and we’ve only just got started.”

Lesters has focused its expansion on creating an ecosystem around the company’s core box range and now offers clients an industry-leading design and innovation centre, access to a warehousing service that includes just-in-time delivery and a signature delivery service that is ideal for large, bulky, or expensive products.

For further information, please visit www.lesterspackaging.co.uk

S. Lester Packing Materials welcomes new starter.

Lesters — 29/09/2020

We’re delighted to welcome a new member of the S Lester team. Kerry McNally has joined us in the role of Commercial Manager and brings with her a wealth of experience in the packaging industry. Some of you may already know Kerry. If not, find out more about her here https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerry-mcnally-3a49364/.

Our Sister Company Achieves ISO Accreditation

Lesters — 04/01/2021

We’re delighted to say our sister company, S L Packaging & Transport Ltd, has been awarded the UKAS ISO 9001 Quality Management system accreditation for Transport and Warehousing activities. This is the most widely used standard for Quality Management and is internationally recognised, and it means they’re meeting the needs of their customers. So you can trust them to handle your transport, warehousing and packaging consumables requirements. To find out more visit www.slptl.co.uk or call 02476 38 16 54.