Portsmouth Aviation Dereham

What Portsmouth Aviation Dereham does

Portsmouth Aviation Dereham is a UK-based bespoke packaging solution provider and a division of Portsmouth Aviation Ltd, a family-run engineering business with origins dating to 1929. The Dereham, Norfolk facility operates as a single-source packaging manufacturer offering consultancy, design and testing, foam cutting and conversion, timber cutting and conversion, bespoke CNC cutting services, and injection moulding. Core products include watertight, crushproof plastic cases, metal containers, card and fibreboard packaging, and CNC-routed foam inserts using Plastazote LD33/LD45 and Ethafoam materials, alongside ISPM15-compliant timber cases for international export and foam shadow boards for tool control. Technical assets comprise three CNC routing machines (two Multicam 3000 Series and one Multicam 5000 Series) with extended gantries and automatic tool changers, CAD-CAM software used for sheet yield optimisation, and two Arburg injection moulding machines.

The company primarily serves UK defence and aerospace customers, with the Ministry of Defence and major defence contractors as anchor clients, alongside engineering and commercial segments. Revenue is generated through quote-based, one-time product sales and professional services for bespoke design and conversion work, delivered via a sales-led motion with direct enterprise engagement, site visits, and video consultations. Certifications supporting defence market access include MPAS accreditation under Def Stan 81-041 for Military Level Packaging, JOSCAR registration, ISO 9001:2015 (expiry 2026), and ISO 14001:2015 (expiry 2029). Distribution is direct-to-customer with no intermediaries, and marketing is executed through a content-led website, downloadable brochures, and direct phone and email enquiry channels. The company is privately held under family ownership (Simon Escott, third generation Managing Director), with no external funding rounds disclosed.

Name

Portsmouth Aviation Dereham

Legal name

Portsmouth Aviation Ltd

Website

https://padpackaging.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Portsmouth Aviation Dereham is a UK-based bespoke packaging manufacturer serving the Ministry of Defence, defence contractors, aerospace, and engineering clients with MPAS-certified plastic, metal, timber, and foam packaging solutions, operating as a division of Portsmouth Aviation Ltd.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Custom Industrial Packaging

NAICS

Plastics Product Manufacturing (3261), Urethane and Other Foam Product (except Polystyrene) Manufacturing (32615)

SIC

Plastics Products, Nec (3089), Metal Shipping Barrels, Drums, Kegs & Pails (3412), Plastics Foam Products (3086)

akta.pro primary industry

Industrial & Protective Thermoformed Packaging (Dunnage, Trays, Clamshells) (IMANAHAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Consumer Products Injection Molding (Housewares, Toys, Personal Care) (IMANAFAE)

Keywords

• Bespoke packaging solutions
• Foam cutting services
• Timber case manufacturing
• Military packaging design
• Injection moulding services

Headquarters

HQ city

Dereham

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Bespoke Packaging Products: Design and manufacture of custom packaging solutions including plastic cases, metal containers, timber cases, and foam inserts. Revenue generated through one-time product sales for specific customer requirements.
2. Consultancy Services: Expert packaging consultancy offered to customers, including site visits and video consultations to advise on best solutions for packaging requirements.
3. CNC Routing and Conversion Services: Conversion services for foam, timber, and other materials using CNC routing machines, serving both as internal capability and standalone service.
4. Injection Moulding Services: Injection moulding of small and intricate components, cost-effective for mass production of plastic parts.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Portsmouth Aviation Dereham designs and manufactures bespoke packaging solutions including plastic cases, metal containers, timber cases, foam inserts, and injection moulded components. The company operates an integrated in-house process covering consultancy, design, CNC foam and timber conversion, bespoke cutting, injection moulding, and testing, serving defence, aerospace, and engineering customers.

Product overview

Portsmouth Aviation Dereham is a precision packaging solution provider offering an integrated suite of bespoke packaging products and services. The company operates as a single-source provider combining Consultancy, Design & Testing, Foam Cutting & Conversion, Timber Cutting & Conversion, Bespoke Cutting Services, and Injection Moulding capabilities. Core products include Bespoke Plastic Packaging (watertight, crushproof cases), Metal Cases and Containers, and Card and Fibreboard Packaging. Foam products feature Plastazote and Ethafoam materials processed via CNC routing. The company also offers Foam Shadow Boards and Tool Trays for tool control applications. All services are delivered through in-house design, manufacturing, and testing with MPAS accreditation for military packaging.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bespoke Plastic Packaging

Quantifiable outcome

• Equipment arrives safely and securely during transportation and storage
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 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

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Exovent CharityminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Charity championing negative pressure ventilation for respiratory disease treatment. Since 2021, Portsmouth Aviation has been working in collaboration with Exovent to develop Exovent-PA Negative Pressure Ventilator, an innovative medical device.
• Portsmouth Aviation (Parent Company)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPortsmouth Aviation Dereham is a division of Portsmouth Aviation Ltd, a family-run engineering business with origins dating back to 1929. The parent company provides strategic direction and shared expertise across aerospace, defence, and packaging operations.
• PaquaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSustainable water filtration company committed to eco-friendly products including PaquaVida zero-carbon filtration system and PaquaLyte non-toxic biocide. Portsmouth Aviation collaborates with Paqua to support their products.
• Illustrious Healthcare SolutionsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare and engineering company founded in 2020 specialising in design, manufacture and supply of metalcraft products for the healthcare sector. Products include Critical Care Transfer Stack and IMPaCT Range. Portsmouth Aviation is proud to be involved with IHS.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• GWP Group: UK-based custom protective packaging manufacturer offering bespoke foam inserts, timber cases and corrugated packaging to defence, aerospace and industrial customers — directly overlaps with PAD's protective packaging portfolio and target verticals.
• Nefab: Sweden-headquartered global industrial packaging provider serving aerospace, defence, telecom and energy with engineered packaging solutions — comparable on bespoke industrial packaging capability, multinational reach and aerospace/defence customer set.
• CP Cases Ltd: UK specialist designer and manufacturer of high-impact protective cases for military, industrial, medical and broadcast sectors — directly mirrors PAD's bespoke military and industrial case business with comparable regulatory credentials.
• Hard Cases Ltd: UK manufacturer of custom and off-the-shelf heavy-duty protective cases, supplying industrial, military and commercial customers — closely comparable in product mix (heavy-duty plastic cases with foam inserts) and customer types to PAD.
• EMKA Technologies (Becker Group): European industrial enclosure and case manufacturer serving machinery, defence and electronics — comparable manufacturer of industrial enclosures/protective cases for harsh environments, with similar custom engineering service layer.

Broad incumbents

• Pelican Products (Peli): US-headquartered global incumbent in rugged protective cases used widely by defence, aerospace and industrial customers — overlaps with PAD on watertight/crushproof plastic cases but operates at much greater scale and as a broader portfolio brand.
• Plasticase (NANUK Cases): Canadian manufacturer of NANUK and other impact-resistant protective cases sold globally into defence, industrial and outdoor markets — overlaps with PAD's watertight/crushproof plastic case product line at broader scale.

Others

• Zotefoams plc: UK-based manufacturer of Plastazote and other closed-cell crosslinked polyolefin foams; a key upstream materials supplier to PAD's foam-cutting operation and comparable in serving defence/aerospace protective packaging applications.
• Airpack International: Ireland-based provider of air-cushion and inflatable protective packaging solutions — adjacent packaging supplier for industrial and e-commerce applications, overlapping with PAD on protective packaging materials although using different conversion technology.

Regional players

• Glamaco: Belgium-based custom rotational-moulded plastic case manufacturer for military and industrial applications — comparable product technology (rotational/custom moulded cases) and defence customer base, primarily servicing continental European customers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/portsmouth-aviation-ltd-dereham
• Facebookfacebook.com/100080884260169

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Portsmouth Aviation Dereham