Just Paper Tubes Ltd

What Just Paper Tubes Ltd does

Just Paper Tubes Ltd (JPT) is a UK-based B2B manufacturer of paper tubes, cardboard cores, and bespoke tube products serving industrial manufacturing, packaging, printing, flooring, and flexible film converters. Founded in 1987 by Ken Coates and John Mahan in Thorne, South Yorkshire and now headquartered in Selby, North Yorkshire, the company operates from multiple facilities including the founding Thorne site, the Railway Mill headquarters, and the 800 sqm Rainwall Mill warehouse. JPT serves 498 customers across the UK, Ireland, and Benelux, producing 49.7 million cardboard tubes in 2024 with stated monthly capacity exceeding 6 million cores across nine product categories: industrial cores, label cores, carpet tubes, tape cores, textile cores, bespoke products, transit packaging cores, postal & mailing tubes, and flexible film cores. The company holds ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, FSC accreditation, and food-grade approval for flexible film cores, and is described as the UK's leading supplier of high-performance film cores.

JPT's core manufacturing uses spiral winding technology on dedicated production lines equipped with 6 French Eberle knife units and a Brodbeck recutter, supported by a 2018 purpose-built core-drying unit described as unique in the UK and a 1200m2 environmentally controlled storage facility. Operations are managed via the Ascman supply chain management system, providing paperless sales order processing, planning, shop-floor control, inventory, dispatch, invoicing, and full barcode/CCTV traceability from raw material to finished product. The company is privately held (Company No: 09741925), owned by the Coates family following John Mahan's 2017 retirement and share sale, and led by founder Ken Coates, director Harry Coates, and sales director Steven Pigott.

The business model is direct B2B manufacturing with custom quotation-based pricing, no minimum order quantities, 24-hour production lead times, and next-day delivery via the company's own EURO 6 transport fleet with GPS-tracked 1-hour delivery windows. Customer acquisition runs through the company website (with live chat), direct sales, WhatsApp, email, and phone, supported by content marketing via blog posts on energy markets, pricing trends, and industry guidance. Pricing is not publicly disclosed, revenue is not reported, and the company has not raised external funding; growth has been funded through reinvestment of operating cash flow into capacity expansions, sustainability infrastructure (biomass heating, 100kW solar), and digital systems.

Name

Just Paper Tubes Ltd

Legal name

Just Paper Tubes Ltd

Website

https://jptcores.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Just Paper Tubes Ltd (JPT) is a UK-based B2B manufacturer of cardboard tubes, paper cores, and bespoke tube products serving industrial, packaging, printing, flooring, and flexible film converters across the UK, Ireland, and Benelux.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Paper and Cardboard Core Manufacturing

NAICS

Converted Paper Product Manufacturing (3222), Other Paperboard Container Manufacturing (322219), Paperboard Container Manufacturing (32221)

SIC

Converted Paper & Paperboard Prods (No Contaners/Boxes) (2670), Paperboard Containers & Boxes (2650)

akta.pro primary industry

Paperboard Cores, Tubes & Edge Protectors (IMALACAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Protective Paper Packaging (Honeycomb, Paper Cushioning, Paper Wrap) (IMALACAH), Paper-Based Packaging & Single-Use Paper Products (Paper Bags, Wraps, Cartons) (CRADALAL)

Keywords

• Paper core manufacturing
• Cardboard tube production
• Industrial cores supply
• Label core manufacturing
• Spiral wound tubes

Headquarters

HQ city

Selby

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Paper Tube and Cardboard Core Manufacturing: JPT manufactures and sells a wide range of paper tubes, cardboard cores, and bespoke products directly to B2B customers. Products include industrial cores, label cores, carpet tubes, tape cores, textile cores, postal/mailing tubes, transit packaging cores, and flexible film cores. Pricing is quote-based and customized to customer specifications with no minimum order quantities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Just Paper Tubes Ltd manufactures and sells custom and standard spiral-wound cardboard tubes and paper cores for industrial, packaging and converting applications. Its product range covers label, tape, carpet, textile, postal/mailing, transit packaging, industrial, flexible film, and bespoke cores. Manufacturing is supported by 24/7 production, a purpose-built UK-unique core drying unit, environmentally controlled storage, and own-fleet next-day delivery across the UK, Ireland and Benelux.

Product overview

Just Paper Tubes Ltd is a UK-based manufacturer of cardboard tubes, paper cores, and cardboard cores serving industrial, packaging, and converting sectors. The company operates as a single unified manufacturing operation offering nine core product categories: Industrial Cores, Label Cores, Carpet Tubes, Tape Cores, Textile Cores, Bespoke Products, Transit Packaging Cores, Postal & Mailing Tubes, and Flexible Film Cores. The company manufactures products from 100% recycled paper and offers custom sizing, with 24-hour production capability and next-day delivery throughout the UK, Ireland, and Benelux.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 49,748,489 cardboard tubes produced in 2024
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Selby Hands of Hope (SHOH)minorOthers · 1 June 2009Local charity founded by Wendy Singh in June 2009, generating money within the Selby & District area and distributing funds to people or groups in need. Richard Singh, JPT Logistics Manager, serves as chairman since 2016. JPT became the first shirt sponsors for the SHOH Great North Run Team. Charity has raised over £1 million since creation.
• Young EnterpriseminorOthersEnterprise education charity dedicated to providing employment opportunities to young people and helping them develop skills. JPT partnered with Young Enterprise in 2018 to support enterprise education initiatives.
• ascmancoreTechnology or IntegrationSupply chain management solution specifically designed for roll-based, cores and flat sheet industries. Implemented paperless system handling sales order processing, planning, shop-floor control, inventory control, dispatch, invoicing, and management reporting. Provides complete traceability throughout operations.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves13 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Sonoco Products Company: Global packaging conglomerate offering a wide portfolio of industrial paper tubes, cores, and protective packaging. Directly comparable to JPT's industrial cores, label cores, and flexible film cores segments, but operates at vastly larger scale across multiple geographies and product categories.
• Smurfit Kappa: One of Europe's largest paper-based packaging manufacturers with extensive operations in UK/Ireland. Comparable in paper-based packaging manufacturing and serves overlapping industrial customer segments, though Smurfit Kappa's portfolio spans corrugated, containerboard, and broader packaging rather than specializing in cores and tubes.
• Greif Inc: Global industrial packaging manufacturer with a dedicated industrial paper cores and tubes business. Direct overlap with JPT's industrial cores and tape cores product categories; operates globally with broader product breadth including steel, plastic, and fibre containers.
• Cascades Inc: North American-focused manufacturer of tissue, packaging, and specialty paper products including converted paperboard. Comparable in paper-converting operations and sustainability positioning (recycled fibre focus); however, primarily serves North American markets rather than the UK.
• Mondi Group: European paper and packaging major producing containerboard, kraft paper, and converted paper products. Operates in adjacent paper-converting space with similar B2B industrial customer base; serves some of the same flexible film and packaging customers JPT supplies cores to.
• Heinzel Group: European paper manufacturer and converter producing market pulp, magazine paper, and packaging papers. Adjacent in paper value chain with European footprint comparable to JPT's UK/Ireland/Benelux reach, but focused upstream on paper production rather than finished cores/tubes.

Emerging players

• Nordic Paper: European specialty paper manufacturer producing kraft paper, greaseproof paper, and pulp products used as inputs to paper core and tube manufacturing. Adjacent in value chain—supplies raw materials to converters like JPT and competes indirectly through integrated paper and packaging players.

Direct peers

• Corex (Kershaw Group): UK manufacturer of paper tubes, cores, and edge protectors serving industrial, converting, and packaging markets. Direct competitor to JPT in UK paper core and tube manufacturing with overlapping product categories and customer segments including label, tape, and film converters.
• Star Paper Tube: UK-based manufacturer of spiral-wound paper tubes and cores for industrial applications. Direct competitor with comparable product range (industrial cores, postal tubes, bespoke) and similar service-led B2B model targeting converters and manufacturers in UK and Europe.

Others

• ascman: Supply chain management software provider specifically designed for roll-based, cores, and flat sheet industries. Listed as JPT's core technology partner providing their proprietary ERP/traceability system; serves the same paper-converting industry vertical with enabling technology rather than competing products.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/JPTCORES
• Facebookfacebook.com/JPTCores
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/jpt-accuracore

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Just Paper Tubes Ltd