What UK Packaging Supplies does

UK Packaging Supplies Limited is a UK-based packaging materials manufacturer and distributor founded in 1984 and controlled by the Dark family, operating from six sites across the United Kingdom (London Tottenham, Aldershot, Lancing, Newmarket, and Colchester). The company offers a comprehensive one-stop-shop product range across 12+ categories including cartons and boxes, tapes, cushioning and paper products, corner and edge protection, polythene products, pallet wrap and stretch films, strapping, staples and glue, postal products, packaging machinery, and workwear clothing. In-house manufacturing capabilities at the Newmarket facility cover bespoke plain and printed die-cut and corrugated cartons plus custom printed tapes (polypropylene, vinyl, polythene barrier tape), while the Lancing facility produces corrugated and composite packs, foam, multi-drop expanded polyethylene, and press-cut foams.

The business operates a multi-channel B2B go-to-market combining an external field sales team of 10+ account managers covering accounts nationwide, an in-house sales office handling inbound enquiries and account management, five trade counters for walk-in trade and retail customers, and two e-commerce storefronts (UK Packaging Shop at ukpackagingshop.co.uk and RMadillo Packaging) for smaller users. Own-fleet delivery from the six depot locations enables next-day delivery across much of the UK and continuity of supply. Revenue is generated primarily through one-time B2B sales of wholesale and bulk packaging materials, bespoke manufacturing orders with design and tooling costs, and online retail to smaller trade customers. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, with free standard delivery offered on orders above £100 (ex VAT).

The company is family-owned with no external private equity or venture capital investment evidenced. Key executive leadership includes Tony Dark (Chairman), Teresa Sullivan (Managing Director), Barry Young (Commercial Director), Paul Toby (Non-Executive Director), and Hamilton Wolfe (Head of Compliance). UK Packaging Supplies holds ISO 9001 (quality management), ISO 14001 (environmental management), FSC Chain of Custody, and Paperpak Compliance Scheme certifications, and operates Aptean Merlin ERP for data management and EPR compliance reporting. The customer base spans at least 15 industries including food manufacturing, pharmaceutical, 3PL logistics, e-commerce, construction, medical devices, retail, and distillery, with multiple documented long-tenured relationships of 10-18+ years.

Name

UK Packaging Supplies

Legal name

UK Packaging Supplies Limited

Website

https://ukplc.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

UK Packaging Supplies Limited is a family-owned UK packaging materials manufacturer and distributor, founded 1984, serving B2B customers nationwide through six depots, in-house carton/tape/foam manufacturing, a 10+ person field sales team, e-commerce storefronts, and own-fleet delivery.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Packaging Materials

NAICS

Corrugated and Solid Fiber Box Manufacturing (322211), Paperboard Container Manufacturing (32221), Plastics Packaging Materials and Unlaminated Film and Sheet Manufacturing (32611), Plastics Packaging Film and Sheet (including Laminated) Manufacturing (326112)

SIC

Paperboard Containers & Boxes (2650), Wholesale-Paper & Paper Products (5110), Plastics, Foil & Coated Paper Bags (2673)

akta.pro primary industry

Corrugated Packaging & Boxes (RSC, die-cut, bulk bins) (IMAMAHAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Protective Paper Packaging (Honeycomb, Paper Cushioning, Paper Wrap) (IMALACAH)

Keywords

• Packaging materials distribution
• Corrugated cardboard boxes
• Bespoke carton manufacturing
• Custom printed tape
• Protective packaging supplies

Headquarters

HQ city

Tottenham

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. B2B Packaging Materials Sales: UK Packaging Supplies generates revenue primarily through the sale of wholesale and bulk packaging materials to businesses across the UK. The product range includes cartons and boxes, tapes, cushioning materials, polythene products, pallet wrap, strapping, postal products, and packaging machinery. Revenue is derived from recurring bulk orders from established trade accounts as well as one-off purchases. The company also manufactures bespoke cartons and printed tapes in-house, adding value through customisation.
2. Bespoke Manufacturing (Custom Cartons & Printed Tape): In-house manufacturing of bespoke plain and printed die-cut/corrugated cartons and custom printed tapes (polypropylene, vinyl, polythene barrier tape) at Newmarket, and foam/composite packs at Lancing. Revenue is generated through custom manufacturing orders with associated design and tooling costs.
3. Online Retail (UK Packaging Shop / RMadillo Packaging): E-commerce channel through the UK Packaging Shop (ukpackagingshop.co.uk) serving smaller users and the RMadillo Packaging online arm based in Aldershot. Revenue from individual and smaller trade customers purchasing through the online storefront.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

UK Packaging Supplies manufactures and distributes a comprehensive range of packaging materials across the UK, including cartons and boxes, packaging tapes, cushioning and paper products, polythene products, pallet wrap and stretch films, strapping, postal products, and packaging machinery. The company operates in-house manufacturing facilities at Newmarket for bespoke die-cut and corrugated cartons plus custom printed tapes, and at Lancing for foam and composite packs, multi-drop expanded polyethylene, and press-cut foams.

Product overview

UK Packaging Supplies is a manufacturer and distributor of packaging materials offering a comprehensive one-stop-shop range of packaging solutions. The portfolio is organized into distinct product categories: cartons and boxes (single-wall, double-wall, heavy-duty, fashion, wardrobe, pallet, ecommerce, postal, archive, and removal boxes), packaging tapes (vinyl, low noise, polypropylene, machine, printed, masking, paper, water-activated, and double-sided), cushioning and paper products (bubble wrap, foam, paper), corner and edge protection, polythene products (bags, lay flat tubing, refuse sacks, shrink film, covers, mailing bags), pallet wrap and stretch films, strapping and ties, staples and glue, postal products, packaging systems and machinery, sundries, and workwear clothing. They also offer services including packaging reviews, stockholding agreements, bespoke carton manufacture, custom printed tape, and foam packaging solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cartons and Boxes Cardboard cartons and shipping boxes in multiple configurations including single-wall, double-wall, heavy-duty, fashion boxes, wardrobe boxes, pallet boxes, ecommerce boxes, postal boxes, archive boxes, and removal boxes. Sold to businesses across the UK for shipping, storage, and fulfilment operations.
• Packaging Tapes Adhesive tapes for sealing and securing packages, including vinyl, low noise, polypropylene, machine, printed, masking, paper, water-activated, double-sided, crossweave/monoweave, cloth, and aluminium tape, along with tape guns, dispensers, and tape sealing machines.
• Cushioning and Paper Products Protective packaging materials including small and large bubble wrap, antistatic bubble wrap, paper bubble, bubble bags, polyethylene foam, profile foam, furniture protection, corrugated paper, tissue paper, paper sheets and rolls, paper grip seal bags, loosefill chips, polystyrene, protective sleeving, and air bag systems.
• Corner and Edge Protection Protective packaging products including solid board edge protection, profile foam, corner and edge protectors, expandable corner protectors, and strapping edge protectors to prevent transit damage.
• Polythene Products Plastic packaging solutions including polythene bags, mini-grip bags, alternative paper mini-grip bags, lay flat tubing, refuse sacks, shrink film, centre-folded polythene, covers, mailing bags, gas shrink systems, and impulse heat sealers.
• Pallet Wrap and Stretch Films Stretch wrapping materials for securing products to pallets, including hand and machine grade pallet wrap, pallet top covers, dispensers, and pallet wrapping machines.
• Strapping and Ties Securing materials including polypropylene hand strapping, PET (polyester) strapping, steel strapping, seals, dispensers, machine strapping, friction weld tools, and strapping edge protectors.
• Staples and Glue Fastening solutions including staplers, staples, glue guns, glue gun adhesives, and glue dots for packaging applications.
• Postal Products Mailing and shipping supplies including postal bags, postal boxes, board envelopes, mailing bags, document tubes, book wraps, jiffy mailers, block bottom paper bags, and parcel labels.
• Packaging Systems and Machinery Automated packaging equipment including air bag machines and film, foam-in-place systems, paper systems such as PAPERPLUS Track and Dragonfly void-fill systems, tape sealing machines, pallet wrapping machines, HSM cardboard shredders, friction weld tools, heat sealers, and strapping machines.
• Bespoke Carton Manufacture In-house custom design and manufacture of plain and printed die-cut and corrugated cartons at the Newmarket facility, supported by an in-house design team. Made-to-measure boxes produced for customers with specific product dimensions or branding requirements.
• Custom Printed Tape Production In-house manufacture of printed packaging tapes including standard printed tape, polypropylene, vinyl, and bespoke printed polythene barrier tape at the Newmarket facility, enabling custom-branded sealing solutions for businesses.
• Foam and Composite Pack Manufacturing In-house manufacture of corrugated and composite packs, foam, multi-drop expanded polyethylene, and press-cut soft and rigid foams at the Lancing facility, with drop test facilities available for engineered protective packaging solutions.

Quantifiable outcome

• Breakage reduction achieved through bespoke made-to-measure boxes for a distillery client
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers18 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Essex Packaging Supplies Ltd.minorOthers · 1 October 2024UK Packaging Supplies acquired the operations and customer accounts of Essex Packaging Supplies Ltd. following a fire at the neighbouring recycling centre that spread to Essex Packaging's warehouse in September 2024. The acquisition brought additional team members (Scott Wright, Gary Keating, Martin Attridge, Rowan Ward, James Becker) and expanded UK Packaging's customer base and product offerings. Essex Packaging had spent 46 years in the industry.
• PaperpakcoreOthersPaperpak is a government-accredited Compliance Scheme helping companies comply with the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 2007. UK Packaging Supplies is a member of the Paperpak scheme, which helps the company and its customers comply with EPR and packaging waste regulations. Paperpak issues compliance certificates and supports EPR reporting.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Rajapack: One of the largest European packaging distributors operating in the UK with a similar broad catalogue of boxes, tapes, mailers, and protective packaging. Competes head-to-head with UK Packaging Supplies on price-led online trade accounts and next-day delivery.
• Kite Packaging: UK-based broad-line packaging distributor with a comparable product range spanning cardboard boxes, tape, stretch film, and postal products. Targets the same trade and small-business customers and competes on price and stock availability.
• GWP Group: UK-based protective and bespoke packaging manufacturer offering engineered foam, corrugated cases, and transit packaging. Closest direct peer to UK Packaging Supplies' Lancing foam and composite pack operations.
• Pitreavie Packaging: Scottish-based packaging distributor offering cartons, tapes, protective and postal packaging to UK trade customers. Comparable one-stop-shop catalogue and similar relationship-led sales model.
• Macfarlane Group: UK-listed broad-line packaging distributor with nationwide depot network and similar carton, tape, and protective packaging range. Closest publicly comparable to UK Packaging Supplies' distribution-plus-manufacturing model, though materially larger and with public-market capital.
• Davpack: UK packaging distributor with an online-led model selling cardboard boxes, packaging materials, and shipping supplies. Comparable target customer (SMBs, e-commerce sellers) and a heavily overlapping catalogue to UK Packaging Supplies' online shop.
• Smith Packaging: UK packaging distributor serving similar trade accounts across cardboard, protective, and postal packaging. Overlapping customer base in logistics and manufacturing, with comparable next-day delivery service.

Broad incumbents

• Mondi Group: Global paper and packaging manufacturer with significant corrugated and paperboard operations in the UK and Europe. Supplies upstream paper-based packaging into the same end-markets and competes indirectly through its converted-products portfolio.
• Antalis: Pan-European distributor of paper, packaging, and visual communication products with a large UK operation. Overlaps with UK Packaging Supplies on the wholesale distribution side and brings greater scale and product breadth, though it does not specialise in bespoke protective packaging.
• Smurfit Kappa: One of the world's largest containerboard and corrugated packaging producers with extensive UK manufacturing presence. A vertically integrated incumbent whose boxes and packaging products overlap with UK Packaging Supplies' manufactured carton offering at scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/uk-packaging-supplies

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Subsidiaries1 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 UK Packaging Supplies