The Plastic People
The Plastic People, founded 1969 and trading as Barkston Plastics Ltd, is a UK e-commerce manufacturer based in Leeds selling cut-to-size plastic and wood sheets, custom CNC fabrication, and finished home and garden products to DIY consumers, trade accounts, and industrial buyers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1969
- HeadquartersCross Gates, United Kingdom
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What The Plastic People does
The Plastic People is a UK-based e-commerce retailer and manufacturer of cut-to-size plastic and wood sheet products, operating as a trading name of Barkston Plastics Ltd from a single facility at 221 Pontefract Lane, Cross Green, Leeds. Founded in 1969, the company sells acrylic (Perspex), polycarbonate, PVC, engineering plastics (nylon, acetal, polypropylene, polyethylene, PETG) and wood sheet materials (MDF, plywood, OSB), alongside accessories and finished home and garden goods such as secondary glazing kits, splashbacks, mirrors, furniture protectors, wall cladding, and greenhouse glazing. Core operational capabilities rest on in-house CNC cutting and fabrication using CAD/CAM-driven 3, 4 and 5-axis CNC mills with tolerances down to +/- 1mm, supported by a 98% waste plastic recycling rate and a related engineering entity, Barkston Plastic Engineering, that serves pharmaceutical, automotive and emergency services sectors.
Revenue is generated through three channels: a direct-to-consumer e-commerce storefront selling stock and custom-cut sheets to DIY consumers and hobbyists; a Trade Account Service offering 30-day credit terms and volume discounts to business and public sector buyers; and bespoke design, fabrication, and CNC machining services for individual and industrial customers. Distribution is UK-only via courier partners DX and DHL with standard, named-day, and next-day delivery options, plus a Leeds collection point. Marketing relies on SEO-optimized website content, a YouTube video library, social media (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest), a blog, email newsletter, and Trustpilot review management. The company has 51-100 employees, no external funding, no disclosed revenue, and no public listing, operating as an independently owned private limited company.
The Plastic People firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Plastic People
- Legal name
- Barkston Plastics Ltd
- Website
- https://theplasticpeople.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1969
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- The Plastic People, founded 1969 and trading as Barkston Plastics Ltd, is a UK e-commerce manufacturer based in Leeds selling cut-to-size plastic and wood sheets, custom CNC fabrication, and finished home and garden products to DIY consumers, trade accounts, and industrial buyers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Plastic People industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Plastic Sheet Manufacturing & Fabrication
- NAICS
- Plastics Product Manufacturing (3261), All Other Plastics Product Manufacturing (326199), Plastics Materials and Basic Forms and Shapes Merchant Wholesalers (424610), Plastics Packaging Materials and Unlaminated Film and Sheet Manufacturing (32611)
- SIC
- Unsupported Plastics Film & Sheet (3081), Miscellaneous Plastics Products (3080), Wholesale-Lumber, Plywood, Millwork & Wood Panels (5031)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Rigid Food Containers (Cups, Trays, Clamshells) (IMALAAAD)
Keywords
Where The Plastic People is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cross Gates
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Plastic People business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- E-commerce Product Sales: Online sales of plastic sheets (Acrylic, Perspex, Polycarbonate, PVC, Correx, etc.) and wood products (MDF, Plywood, OSB) with custom cut-to-size and cut-to-shape options. Customers order through the website and products are delivered via courier services.
- Custom Fabrication Services: Bespoke plastic fabrication and manufacturing services for individuals and businesses requiring custom plastic parts and products. Work includes plastic machining, welding, and routed components.
- Trade Account Services: Business and public sector accounts with 30 day credit terms and volume discounts on higher value orders.
- Bespoke Design Services: Custom plastic design and fabrication for specific customer requirements, understanding needs and developing precise, affordable products and parts.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard Delivery - from £12.45 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Named Day Delivery - £30.00 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Next Day Delivery - £41.25 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Custom Cut-to-Size Products |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Accessories and Consumables |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels9 records
The Plastic People product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Plastic People (trading name of Barkston Plastics Ltd) manufactures, fabricates, and retails plastic sheet products — including Acrylic (Perspex), Polycarbonate, PVC, PVC Foamboard, Nylon, Acetal, Polypropylene, Polyethylene, and PETG — alongside wood sheet products such as MDF, Plywood, and OSB. The company operates an e-commerce platform that sells stock sheets and offers in-house custom cut-to-size, CNC cut-to-shape, plastic fabrication, and CNC machining services (up to 5-axis). A dedicated trade account service supports business and public sector customers with 30-day credit terms and volume discounts.
Product overview
The Plastic People is a UK-based e-commerce retailer and manufacturer specialising in plastic sheets and custom plastic fabrication. The core offering is a broad portfolio of plastic sheet materials — including Acrylic (Perspex), Polycarbonate, PVC, PVC Foamboard, Nylon, Acetal, Polypropylene, Polyethylene, and PETG — alongside wood products (MDF, Plywood, OSB) and a comprehensive range of home and garden finished goods. These materials are sold as stock sheets or processed through in-house services: Cut to Size Plastic, Cut to Shape (CNC-routed), Plastic Fabrication, and Plastic Machining (CNC mills up to 5-axis). The product line also extends to accessories (adhesives, polishes, fixings), and finished goods for consumers including secondary glazing kits, splashbacks, mirrors, furniture protectors, shaker wall panelling kits, greenhouse glazing, protective screens, and acrylic display/picture frames. Bespoke Design services round out the offering for custom parts. A Trade Account Service provides business customers with credit terms and bulk discounts. The company operates with over 55 years of industry expertise, shipping across the UK with standard, named day, and next day delivery options.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Acrylic (Perspex) Sheets High-quality acrylic plastic sheets (also sold under the Perspex brand name) available in clear, coloured, cast, and extruded variants. Used for secondary glazing, furniture protectors, greenhouse panels, splashbacks, and display cases. Supplied whole or cut to size.
- Polycarbonate Sheets Super-strong clear plastic sheets virtually unbreakable and 290x stronger than glass. UV-coated, bendable, shapeable, and drillable. Used for greenhouse panels, shed windows, balcony glazing, and protective glazing. Supplied cut to size.
- PVC Sheets PVC plastic sheets available in standard and foamboard variants. Used for signage, display boards, and construction applications. Supplied cut to size.
- PVC Foamboard Sheets Lightweight PVC foamboard sheets available in a wide variety of sizes and colours. Used for signage, display, and construction applications.
- Nylon 6 Sheets & Rods Engineering plastic sheets and rods with great strength, stiffness, and mechanical properties, offering good chemical resistance. Used in precision engineering applications.
- Acetal Sheets & Rods Engineering plastic known for hardness and rigidity when exposed to high temperatures. Used in precision engineering and mechanical applications.
- Polypropylene Sheets & Rods Polypropylene offers outstanding thermal, mechanical, chemical, and electrical properties. Used in a wide range of industrial and domestic applications.
- Polyethylene Sheets Polyethylene plastic sheets available in various grades for a range of industrial and domestic applications.
- PET & PETG Sheets PET and PETG plastic sheets for a range of applications including packaging, display, and fabrication.
- Coloured (Perspex) Acrylic Sheets Coloured acrylic sheets available in a rainbow of bright colours, in cast acrylic quality. Durable against chemicals and regular cleaning. Used for kitchen and bathroom splashbacks, coloured acrylic letters, and decorative applications. Supplied whole or cut to size.
- MDF Sheets Medium-density fibreboard sheets available in premium, flame retardant, and moisture resistant grades. Used for DIY projects, home improvements, and as backboards for wall panelling kits.
- Plywood Sheets Plywood sheets offering great strength at a competitive price. Used by builders and DIYers for a range of construction and project applications.
- OSB Sheets
Quantifiable outcome
- 98% of waste plastic is recycled
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use The Plastic People
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
The Plastic People technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
The Plastic People partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Barkston Plastic EngineeringcoreBarkston Plastic Engineering is a related entity that handles complex plastic engineering requirements. They provide precision machining services with 3, 4 and 5 axis CNC mills and modern tooling, serving industries including pharmaceutical, emergency services, and automotive. The production and manufacturing team at The Plastic People handles bespoke fabrication work.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
The Plastic People competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Cut My Plastic: UK-based e-commerce retailer specializing in cut-to-size and cut-to-shape plastic sheets (acrylic, polycarbonate, foamed PVC) with same custom-cut CNC router proposition. The closest head-to-head competitor to The Plastic People in the UK online cut-to-size market.
- Simply Plastics: UK direct-to-consumer plastic sheet retailer offering acrylic, polycarbonate, and PVC sheets with custom cut-to-size and cut-to-shape services. Closely comparable on product range, business model, and target customer base to The Plastic People.
- Sheet Plastics: UK online supplier of plastic sheet products with cut-to-size capability across acrylic, polycarbonate, and other engineering plastics. Direct competitor in both product line and self-serve e-commerce GTM model.
- Direct Plastics: UK plastic fabrication and supply specialist offering CNC machining, cut-to-size plastic, and bespoke plastic parts comparable to The Plastic People's combined retail and fabrication offering.
- Nationwide Plastics: UK-based wholesale and retail distributor of plastic sheets, rods, and fabricated plastic components. Comparable distribution model serving similar trade and consumer customers with cut-to-size services.
- Plastic Stockist: UK online plastic sheet retailer offering acrylic, polycarbonate, PVC and engineering plastics with cut-to-size options. Closely comparable e-commerce-first proposition targeting similar DIY and trade customers.
Broad incumbents
- Brett Martin: Established Northern Ireland-headquartered UK plastic products manufacturer producing plastic sheets, roofing, and glazing systems at meaningfully larger scale. Overlaps with The Plastic People on plastic sheet supply but operates as a broader industrial manufacturer rather than a custom-cut specialist.
- Lucite International: Global manufacturer of acrylic (Perspex) sheet products owned by Mitsubishi Chemical. Operates upstream as one of the major acrylic sheet producers that feeds The Plastic People's retail and fabrication channel; relevant as the dominant branded sheet supplier in the category.
- Wickes: Major UK home improvement and builder's merchant chain selling plastic sheets and DIY-relevant plastics as part of a broader building materials portfolio. Competes with The Plastic People at the lower end of the DIY plastic sheet market with the advantage of extensive physical-store distribution.
Regional players
- Whitesales: UK-based plastic roofing and cladding products manufacturer and distributor serving primarily construction and trade end-markets. Overlaps with The Plastic People on polycarbonate and PVC sheet products but is concentrated in roofing rather than general-purpose custom plastic.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Plastic People social profiles
Digital presenceThe Plastic People financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Plastic People leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
The Plastic People subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
The Plastic People funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Plastic People M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Plastic People
What does The Plastic People do?
The Plastic People (trading name of Barkston Plastics Ltd) manufactures, fabricates, and retails plastic sheet products — including Acrylic (Perspex), Polycarbonate, PVC, PVC Foamboard, Nylon, Acetal, Polypropylene, Polyethylene, and PETG — alongside wood sheet products such as MDF, Plywood, and OSB. The company operates an e-commerce platform that sells stock sheets and offers in-house custom cut-to-size, CNC cut-to-shape, plastic fabrication, and CNC machining services (up to 5-axis). A dedicated trade account service supports business and public sector customers with 30-day credit terms and volume discounts.
Is The Plastic People a public or private company?
The Plastic People is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was The Plastic People founded?
The Plastic People was founded in 1969. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is The Plastic People based?
The Plastic People is headquartered in Cross Gates, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does The Plastic People make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. E-commerce Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are custom Fabrication Services, trade Account Services and bespoke Design Services.
Who are The Plastic People's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Cut My Plastic, Simply Plastics, Sheet Plastics, Direct Plastics, Nationwide Plastics and Plastic Stockist. Broad incumbents are Brett Martin, Lucite International and Wickes. Whitesales is listed as a regional player.
Does The Plastic People have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Plastic People.
What industry is The Plastic People in?
The Plastic People's product category is Plastic Sheet Manufacturing & Fabrication. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMALAAAD, Rigid Food Containers (Cups, Trays, Clamshells). Its NAICS code is 3261 and its SIC code is 3081.