Sackmaker

What Sackmaker does

Sackmaker (legal entity J&HM Dickson Ltd) is a Glasgow-headquartered, family-owned UK manufacturer of woven polypropylene (WPP) sacks, FIBC flexible intermediate bulk containers, sandbags, and a portfolio of branded kerbside-recycling products. Founded in 1915 by John and Hugh Dickson to produce hessian sandbags for the First World War, the firm has operated continuously for over a century and now runs a single manufacturing facility on Seath Road, Rutherglen Industrial Estate, employing approximately 20 staff. The product range spans standard industrial WPP sacks (45x60cm to 80x150cm), heavy-duty and hessian sandbags, builders/tonne bags certified to 1000kg SWL, BOPP-laminated retail sacks, and patented kerbside solutions including Securesack (UK Patent No. GB1222432.5), Recykernelbag, Boxhat covers, and Helibag helicopter-lifting bags. In-house printing supports up to 10,000 printed sacks per day; products contain at least 30% recycled PP and qualify for UK Plastic Packaging Tax exemption.\n\nRevenue is generated through one-time sale of manufactured and imported goods. Manufacturing covers bespoke and high-specification UK-made items (FIBC, covers, liners, repairs, commission sewing), while standard lines are supplemented by imports of 5M+ sacks and bulk bags annually from partners in India, the Philippines, and China. Distribution is multi-channel: direct sales via phone (0800 032 6447) and email, the sackmarket.co.uk e-commerce storefront for SMB and individual customers with 24-hour UK delivery on stocked items, and approved framework agreements with ESPO, Scotland Excel, and YPO serving UK local authorities. Pricing is mostly quote-based for bespoke and bulk orders, with disclosed unit prices around £2.99 for pre-filled pallet sandbags and just under £1 for kerbside sacks in 20,000+ bulk orders.\n\nSackmaker serves over 1,000 customers across the UK, Ireland and Western Europe, plus ad-hoc North American exports, with 200+ UK local authorities among them and named customers including the Royal Mint and various councils and environment agencies. It is ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 accredited, holds UK framework approval status renewed through 2020, and operates a Wrap Cymru circular-economy partnership in Wales. The firm is led by third-generation managing director Alan Dickson, with no external venture or private-equity investment, no subsidiaries, and no disclosed M&A activity.

Name

Sackmaker

Legal name

J&HM Dickson Ltd

Website

https://sackmaker.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1915

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Sackmaker (J&HM Dickson Ltd) is a Glasgow-based UK manufacturer of woven polypropylene sacks, FIBC bulk bags, and patented kerbside recycling products. Founded in 1915, it supplies over 1,000 industrial, agricultural, and public-sector customers across the UK and Western Europe.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Woven Sacks & FIBC Bulk Bags Manufacturing

NAICS

Plastics Bag and Pouch Manufacturing (326111), Textile Bag and Canvas Mills (314910), Packaging Machinery Manufacturing (333993)

SIC

Plastics, Foil & Coated Paper Bags (2673)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Bulk Liners & Container Liners (Dry Bulk Liners) (IMALAGAE), Bagging, Pouching & Sachet Packaging Equipment (IMAHAOAH)

Keywords

• Woven polypropylene sacks
• FIBC bulk bags
• Kerbside recycling sacks
• Industrial sandbags
• Bespoke sack manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Glasgow

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Woven Polypropylene Sacks: Manufacture and supply of standard and bespoke WPP sacks for various industrial, agricultural, and recycling applications. Includes sandbags, coal sacks, feed sacks, and specialty sacks.
2. FIBC Bulk Bags: Manufacture and supply of Flexible Intermediate Bulk Containers (bulk bags/tonne bags) for handling bulk loose, powdered, or granular products. Includes standard, custom, and specialized configurations.
3. Kerbside Collection Products: Supply of kerbside recycling sacks, garden waste sacks, gull-proof sacks, and related products to local authorities and waste management companies. Includes reusable Recykernelbag® and Securesack™ products.
4. Bespoke Manufacturing: Custom sack manufacturing, printing services (up to 2 colors in-house), and modifications/repairs for specialized requirements.
5. Imported Products: Import and supply of over 5 million woven sacks and bulk bags annually from globally sourced partners, including standard sizes held in stock for 24-hour UK delivery.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Sackmaker manufactures and supplies woven polypropylene (WPP) sacks, sandbags, FIBC bulk bags (tonne bags) and kerbside collection sacks from its Glasgow factory, alongside imported standard lines for 24-hour UK delivery. The company offers both stocked standard products and bespoke made-to-order sacks, with in-house printing (up to 2 colours, 10,000 sacks/day) and custom design for industrial, agricultural, recycling, public-sector and emergency-services customers.

Product overview

Sackmaker is the UK's longest established manufacturer of woven sacks and bulk bags, founded in 1915. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of reusable woven polypropylene (WPP) sacks and bags alongside traditional hessian and net alternatives. The core product lines include: Woven PP Sacks (standard sacks for industrial, agricultural and recycling applications), Sandbags (standard, heavy duty, hessian and pre-filled options for flood protection and road works), FIBC Bulk Bags/Tonne Bags (flexible intermediate bulk containers for bulk storage and transport), Kerbside Recycling Products (Recyclingbag® collection sacks, Gull Proof Sacks, Garden Waste Sacks, Boxhat® covers, and the patented Securesack™ range), Coal & Log Sacks, Feed & Seed Sacks, and Bespoke Manufacturing Services (custom made-to-order sacks, UK-made FIBC bags, covers, liners, repairs and commission sewing). The company operates from Glasgow with both UK manufacturing capability and global import operations, supplying over 5 million sacks annually to over 1000 customers across industrial, agricultural, recycling and building trades sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Helibag: Helicopter lifting bags for civil engineering and emergency operations
• Boxhat
• Securesack
• Recykernel

Products and services

• Woven Polypropylene (WPP) Sacks Strong, breathable woven polypropylene sacks in standard sizes from 45x60cm to 80x150cm for industrial and agricultural uses such as nuts, bolts, feeds, seeds, coal, logs, shellfish, aggregates, chemicals and foodstuffs.
• Sandbags (Standard, Heavy Duty, Hessian, Pre-filled) 33x79cm sandbags available in standard (70gsm), heavy duty reusable (120gsm with UV inhibitor), biodegradable hessian and pre-filled (≈14kg granite sand, pallets of 70) variants, sold to councils, environment agencies and civil engineering customers for road sign stabilisation, flood protection and defence walling.
• FIBC Bulk Bags (Tonne Bags) Flexible Intermediate Bulk Containers certified to 1000kg SWL with 0.5 to 2.0 cubic metre capacities, supplied in standard and bespoke variants for packing, storage and transport of bulk loose, powdered or granular products.
• Helibag® Helicopter Lifting Bags Helicopter lifting bags with extra-long lifting loops for single point lift, sized 95x95x95cm with 1200kg SWL and 6:1 Safety Factor, designed for helicopter deployment.
• Kerbside Collection Sacks (Recykernelbag®) Heavy duty, UV-resistant woven PP kerbside collection sacks with double-stitched handles and optional lids, used by over 200 UK local authorities for collecting newspapers, cardboard, cans, glass and plastics.
• Securesack™ Patented Kerbside Collection Sacks Patent-pending kerbside collection sacks with a fully closing cover that keeps recyclate secure even if knocked over, protecting contents from wind, rain, snow, seagulls and foxes.
• Garden Waste Sacks (Recyclingbag®) Tough, breathable, UV-resistant woven PP garden waste sacks with self-standing design in standard 90 and 120 litre sizes.
• Gull Proof Sacks (Seagull-Proof Trade Waste Sacks) Seagull-proof sacks (45x45x90cm) protecting bin bags from seagulls, foxes, vermin and weather using the patented Securesack® top closure.
• Boxhat® Recycling Box Covers Elasticated, waterproof and unbreakable woven PP covers for kerbside recycling boxes, supplied as a cost-effective alternative to rigid lids in green or blue.
• Coal Sacks Single-trip and multi-trip woven PP sacks for coal and smokeless fuels, in standard sizes from 10kg to 50kg, in white woven PP or laminated material, sold to solid-fuel merchants.
• Firewood Log Sacks Net bags and woven PP sacks with UV protection for seasoning, storing and transporting firewood logs, available in standard and bulk sizes.
• Feed, Seed & Potato Sacks Woven PP sacks and bulk tonne bags for agricultural products including animal feeds, seeds, potatoes, salt, sugar, cereals, malt and grain.
• Confidential Waste Sacks Lightweight 70gsm and heavyweight 170gsm woven PP sacks for office waste paper collection and confidential document destruction services.
• Scallop & Shellfish Sacks Tough woven PP sacks and drawstring net bags for packing and transporting shellfish including scallops, mussels, cockles and whelks.
• Fixings, Fasteners & Scaffold Bags Small 45x60cm woven PP sacks made from 10% heavier fabric for nuts, bolts, fixings, scaffolding fittings, abrasives and shot.
• BOPP Laminated Sacks Biaxially oriented polypropylene film laminated sacks with waterproof, wipe-clean finish, used for retail packaging of grass seed, bird seed, pet foods, chemicals and foodstuffs.
• Hessian Sacks (Jute) Traditional biodegradable hessian/jute sacks for sandbags, potatoes and custom applications, available in standard or bespoke sizes.
• Net Bags Knitted net bags with drawstrings in standard sizes and optional printed bands for firewood logs, kindling, vegetables and shellfish.
• ADR/UN Spec Bags & Baffle Bags ADR/UN specification bags meeting international regulations for the transport of dangerous goods, and baffle bags with internal baffles to maintain a square shape when filled.
• Beach Clean Bags Reusable 35x35x50cm (~45 litre) beach cleaning bags with adjustable shoulder strap and patented Securesack™ top closure for keeping collected litter secure.
• Sandhopper Portable Sandbag Filling Machine UK-made portable sandbag filling hopper producing up to 120 sandbags per hour with a single operator, reducing back-strain injuries in flood response and civil engineering applications.
• Made-to-Order FIBC Bulk Sacks (Bespoke) Bespoke FIBC bulk bags in special sizes with SWL up to 1250kg, single or multi-point lifting, conical bases, sift-proof seams, and optional food-grade or UN approval.
• Bespoke Heavy Duty Woven Sacks Custom heavy duty products including soft landing bags, lorry bags, planter bags, geotextile sacks and subsea grout bags for specialised applications.
• Bespoke Woven PP Covers & Pallet Hoods Custom made industrial covers, liners and pallet hoods, including elasticated end caps for steel pipes, manufactured in the UK.
• Bespoke Roll Cage Liners & Stillage Covers Custom roll cage covers, stillage covers, stadium seat covers and machinery dust covers with fastening options including Velcro, zips and brass eyelets.
• Bespoke Reusable Skip, Bin & Container Liners Custom reusable liners for skips, bins and containers, available with customer printing and stenciling.

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ESPO (Eastern Shires Purchasing Organisation)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSackmaker is an approved national framework supplier of kerbside collection containers through ESPO. This framework agreement enables public sector organizations across the UK to procure Sackmaker products through established procurement channels.
• Scotland ExcelcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorApproved framework supplier status for kerbside collection containers in Scotland. Scotland Excel is the national public procurement hub for Scotland's local authorities and public bodies.
• YPO (Yorkshire Purchasing Organisation)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorApproved framework supplier for kerbside collection containers through YPO's public sector procurement framework.
• Wrap CymruminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting circular economy and waste reduction initiatives in Wales, helping local authorities implement sustainable recycling solutions.
• EPH (E Procurement Scotland)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorE-procurement platform partnership facilitating electronic ordering and procurement of Sackmaker products through Scotland's public sector procurement systems.
• Global Sourcing Partners (India, Philippines, China)coreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerImport over 5 million woven sacks and bulk bags annually from globally sourced partners. Products manufactured and printed to order plus a range of standard sizes held in stock for 24-hour UK delivery. Sourced from ethically sound and sustainable overseas mills.
• LabordatacoreTechnology or IntegrationIndependent testing laboratory that certifies Sackmaker's FIBC bulk bags to meet internationally recognized quality standards including BS EN 1898:2001 and 6:1 Safety Factor requirements.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Conitex Sonoco: Global FIBC and flexible intermediate bulk container producer with multi-region operations. Directly comparable on FIBC bulk bags, woven polypropylene packaging, and industrial bulk-handling solutions serving similar end markets.
• Anduro Manufacturing: US woven polypropylene sack and FIBC producer with custom printing and fabrication. Comparable as a focused mid-market woven-bag manufacturer competing in industrial and agricultural end markets.
• LC Packaging: Dutch-headquartered manufacturer and distributor of FIBC bulk bags and woven polypropylene sacks across Europe. Closest direct competitor to Sackmaker on product mix (WPP sacks, FIBCs, bespoke industrial bags) and geographic footprint (UK/Western Europe).
• Bulk Lift International: US-based FIBC bulk bag manufacturer offering standard and custom-designed bulk bags for industrial and agricultural applications. Closely comparable on FIBC product engineering and the mix of standard plus bespoke offerings.

Broad incumbents

• Amcor plc: Global flexible and rigid packaging giant with exposure to industrial and agricultural bag applications. Adjacent rather than direct on woven sacks, but competes for the same flexible-packaging budget pools at major UK/European customers.
• Berry Global Group: Large global plastics and flexible packaging manufacturer with presence in woven and non-woven industrial packaging. Comparable at the category level but materially larger and more diversified than Sackmaker.
• Coveris Holdings: European flexible packaging producer serving industrial, agricultural, and consumer markets with woven and film-based packaging. Comparable on the woven/industrial-bag side but with significantly broader product portfolio and geographic reach.
• Mondi Group: European paper and packaging major with woven polypropylene, kraft paper, and industrial bag product lines. Overlaps on industrial sack manufacturing but operates as a broad diversified packaging incumbent rather than a niche specialist.
• Greif Inc: Global industrial packaging manufacturer producing FIBC bulk bags, woven sacks, and rigid industrial containers. Overlaps heavily on bulk-bag product line but operates at much larger scale and broader portfolio across geographies.

Emerging players

• Titan FIBC (Sterling International): Specialist FIBC bulk bag manufacturer offering standard and custom bulk container solutions for industrial and chemical markets. Comparable product scope to Sackmaker's FIBC line, with focus on bespoke engineering rather than the broader Sackmaker portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Sackmaker_
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/SackmakerTV
• Facebookfacebook.com/pages/Sackmaker-JHM-Dickson-Ltd/194103877396389
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sackmaker---j&hm-dickson-ltd
• Pinterestuk.pinterest.com/sackmaker

Compliance1 record

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 Sackmaker