What Imperial Polythene does

Imperial Polythene Products Ltd is a UK-based, family-owned manufacturer and supplier of bespoke polythene products, founded in 1994 by Sam Marsh and Frank Chiappetta and headquartered at a manufacturing and storage facility near Heathrow Airport in Slough. The company extrudes, manufactures and supplies custom virgin-grade, recycled, and compostable polythene bags, sacks, sheeting, tubing, and films, with full customisation across dimensions, gauge, colour, and flexographic branding. Its product portfolio is organised around four primary verticals — waste management, clinical/healthcare waste, food-grade packaging, and industrial packaging — supported by an unusually dense stack of sector certifications including BRC AA+ (food grade), UN certification for hazardous waste bags across multiple weight ratings, ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015, EN 13432 compostability, and HTM 07-01 clinical waste compliance.

The business operates a sales-led, quote-based go-to-market model serving trade and public-sector buyers across the United Kingdom, with dedicated account managers, a 3-step bespoke ordering process (specification, custom extrusion, UK storage and distribution), and 24-hour quote response commitments. Named customers include Veolia Camden (anchor waste-management account), with additional long-tenure relationships across waste, food, and industrial segments. Revenue is generated through one-time purchase orders for bespoke products manufactured to customer specifications, with bulk/wholesale pricing and multi-site delivery for facilities management and local authority contracts.

A notable strategic extension is TrackerSack, a proprietary end-to-end waste tracking system combining pre-barcoded sacks with a mobile app for digital traceability of waste streams from generation to disposal. The company has no identified parent, no disclosed institutional investment, and no M&A activity; founders remain active as directors. Recent strategic activity centres on sustainability-led product extensions (compostable and recycled ranges), community engagement initiatives (the £10,000 Community Impact Fund and the '30 for 30' charity programme), and award recognition across PIA 2024, MRW National Recycling Awards 2024, Made in Britain Impact Award 2024, and Leadership Impact Awards 2025.

Name

Imperial Polythene

Legal name

Imperial Polythene Products Ltd

Website

https://imperialpolythene.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Imperial Polythene is a UK-based, family-owned manufacturer (founded 1994) that extrudes and supplies bespoke polythene bags, sacks, sheeting, and films to trade and public-sector buyers across waste management, clinical, food, and industrial sectors, with full customisation and BRC/UN certifications.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Polythene Manufacturing

NAICS

Plastics Bag and Pouch Manufacturing (326111), Plastics Packaging Film and Sheet (including Laminated) Manufacturing (326112)

SIC

Plastics, Foil & Coated Paper Bags (2673), Unsupported Plastics Film & Sheet (3081)

akta.pro primary industry

Industrial Sacks & Bags (Paper/Plastic/Woven) (IMALAGAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Hazardous Materials & UN-Certified Bulk Packaging (IMALAGAH)

Keywords

• Polythene manufacturing
• Bespoke plastic bags
• Clinical waste bags
• Food grade packaging
• Industrial polythene films

Headquarters

HQ city

Slough

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Bespoke Polythene Products Manufacturing: Imperial Polythene manufactures and supplies custom polythene bags, sacks, sheeting, tubing, and films. Revenue is generated through one-time purchase orders for bespoke products manufactured to customer specifications. They supply wholesale/bulk quantities to trade and public sector buyers.
2. Bulk/Wholesale Supply: Bulk supply of commercial waste bags, industrial packaging films, and specialist waste products. Revenue from repeat orders and ongoing supply contracts with multi-site delivery capabilities for facilities management and local authority contracts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Imperial Polythene extrudes, manufactures and supplies bespoke virgin grade or recycled polythene bags, sacks, sheeting, tubing, and films. They specialise in custom manufacturing with capabilities for colour, size, and gauge customisation, along with flexographic printing for branding. Their product range spans commercial waste bags, UN-certified clinical waste bags, BRC AA+ food grade packaging, and industrial films, supported by the proprietary TrackerSack waste tracking system with pre-barcoded sacks and a mobile app.

Product overview

Imperial Polythene is a UK-based polythene manufacturer and supplier established in 1994, offering bespoke virgin-grade and recycled polythene bags, liners, sacks, sheeting, and films. The product portfolio centres on custom manufacturing capabilities across four main sectors: waste management products (commercial waste bags, bespoke polythene sacks, rubble bags, compostable liners, asbestos bags, confidential waste bags, packaging sheets and films); clinical waste products (yellow, orange, and tiger stripe clinical waste bags, cytotoxic waste bags, biohazard bags, body bags); food sector products (food grade box liners, pallet covers, form fill and seal films, sheeting); and industrial products (layflat tubing, stretch films, shrink films, product bags). A key differentiator is the TrackerSack System, their proprietary end-to-end waste tracking solution with pre-barcoded sacks and a mobile app for digital waste monitoring. All products are customisable for size, gauge, colour, and branding, with options for virgin grade, recycled polythene, or compostable materials.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• TrackerSack: An innovative waste tracking system with pre-barcoded sacks and a digital app for waste management, clinical waste, facilities management, and cleaning industries. Allows organisations to digitally track waste from generation to disposal.

Products and services

• TrackerSack System An end-to-end waste tracking solution with UK-made, pre-barcoded polythene sacks and a mobile app for digital waste tracking from generation to disposal. Provides traceability and accountability for waste streams including clinical waste, supporting contamination monitoring and regulatory compliance reporting. Designed for waste management, clinical waste, facilities management, and cleaning industries.
• Commercial Waste Bags High-performance bin liners designed for offices, retail, and hospitality facilities. Available in bespoke sizes and gauges, puncture and tear-resistant for weights from 10 kg to 50 kg. Offered in recycled polythene, compostable alternatives, and colour-coded options.
• Bespoke Polythene Sacks Custom-manufactured polythene sacks and refuse bags supplied in bulk. Tailored to exact specifications for dimensions, gauge, colour, and custom printing with company branding. Made from virgin grade or recycled polythene blends.
• Rubble Bags Heavy-duty tear-resistant polythene sacks for construction and landscaping waste including bricks, gravel, and concrete. Customisable size, thickness, and branding with custom printing options.
• Compostable Liners Wholesale 100% compostable waste bags certified to EN 13432 European standards for organic waste disposal. Made from plant-based natural starches, designed to decompose completely in industrial composting facilities with no microplastics or harmful residues. Shelf life up to 12 months.
• Asbestos Waste Bags UN-approved heavy-duty CDG/ADR compliant polythene bags for hazardous asbestos-containing materials (ACMs). Includes standard red (inner) and clear (outer) sacks for mandatory UK double-bagging. Customisable size and thickness with UN warning labels.
• Confidential Waste Bags Tamper-evident security bags for secure disposal of sensitive documents and data protection. Manufactured from high-quality opaque materials with tamper-evident closure mechanism. Customisable sizes and custom printing for GDPR compliance.
• Packaging Sheets and Films Wholesale packaging sheets, layflat tubing, and stretch films for product protection during storage and transportation. Includes stretch film for pallet stability, shrink film for secure fit, and continuous layflat tubing for custom-sized bags. Customisable size, thickness, and colour.
• Yellow Clinical Waste Bags UN-certified yellow clinical waste bags for infectious medical waste contaminated with chemicals or pharmaceuticals. Designed for incineration disposal. UN accredited for weights from 3kg to 20kg. Suitable for NHS, veterinarians, and pharmacies.
• Orange Clinical Waste Bags UN-certified orange clinical waste bags for infectious medical waste contaminated with bodily fluids but not chemicals. Designated for alternative treatment before disposal. Available in heavy-duty and medium-duty options with UN accreditation for weights from 3kg to 20kg.
• Tiger Stripe Clinical Waste Bags Tiger stripe (yellow with black stripes) clinical waste bags for offensive, non-infectious waste from medical and care environments. Suitable for disposal via landfill, incineration, or energy-from-waste facilities. Available in custom sizes, thicknesses, and with company branding.
• Cytotoxic Waste Bags Specialist clinical waste bags for cytotoxic waste disposal. Part of comprehensive range including biohazard bags, body bags, mortuary bags, and mattress bags.
• Food Grade Polythene Products Bespoke food grade polythene products for direct food contact, manufactured under BRC AA+ accreditation. Includes box liners, pallet hoods and covers, compostable bags, form fill and seal films, single wound sheeting, centre fold sheeting, and micro perforated film.
• Industrial Polythene Products Custom designed polythene products for industrial use including layflat tubing (customisable colour, size, thickness), mattress bags, pallet sheets, stretch film, collation shrink film, heavy duty shrink film, form fill sealing film, product bags and covers, single wound sheeting, centre fold sheeting, gussetted lay flat, and micro perforated film.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduce carbon footprint for local customers through local manufacturing and storage near Heathrow
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• VeoliacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVeolia is a key customer of Imperial Polythene for waste management products. They have a strong ongoing relationship with Veolia Camden providing high-quality products and exemplary support. Imperial also partners with Veolia Stafford for the Run2Paris initiative supporting Parkinson's UK.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Coveris: Large European flexible packaging manufacturer with broad product portfolio including polythene films, sacks, and food-grade packaging. Overlaps Imperial's industrial and food-grade offerings but operates at vastly greater scale and geographic scope.
• Polypipe: UK-based manufacturer of plastic piping and packaging systems including protective films and sheeting. While primarily focused on building products, the plastic extrusion technology base and UK manufacturing footprint make it a comparable industry peer.
• Berry Global (now Magnera / part of Amcor): Global plastics packaging giant with significant UK manufacturing of films, bags, and industrial packaging. Broad incumbent operating across multiple packaging segments with overlapping product categories to Imperial's range.

Direct peers

• Polybags: UK-based manufacturer of bespoke polythene bags, pouches, and films for retail, food, and industrial customers. Highly comparable in custom extrusion capabilities, BRC accreditation, and B2B trade focus.
• Centriforce Products: UK-based manufacturer of recycled-plastic products including heavy-duty sacks, rubble bags, and protective packaging. Directly comparable mid-sized UK bespoke plastics manufacturer serving waste management and construction channels.
• Cromwell Polythene: UK manufacturer and supplier of polythene bags, sacks, and sheeting including recycled and compostable ranges. Direct comparable in product mix, sustainability positioning, and UK trade/wholesale distribution.
• Clifton Packaging: UK flexible packaging manufacturer producing bespoke polythene bags, films, and pouches for food and industrial customers. Comparable in custom extrusion, food-grade manufacturing, and SME/B2B positioning.
• Plastic Extruders Ltd: UK bespoke polythene extrusion manufacturer producing films, bags, and tubing for industrial applications. Comparable as a small-to-mid UK extrusion specialist serving similar B2B industrial and packaging customers.
• bpi. films (Aquapak): UK-based producer of polythene films, sacks, and packaging for industrial and waste applications. Closely comparable in extrusion technology, UK focus, and B2B customer mix across waste and industrial segments.

Emerging players

• Pal-Ex Ltd: UK supplier of pallet wrap, stretch film, and industrial polythene packaging. Comparable in industrial packaging distribution channel and product focus, though primarily a distributor rather than manufacturer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/imperial-polythene-products-ltd
• Xx.com/ImperialPoly
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php

Compliance12 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Imperial Polythene