Reform Polythene

What Reform Polythene does

Reform Polythene Limited is a UK-based, privately held manufacturer founded in 1995 and headquartered in Derby, East Midlands, specialising in the extrusion, printing, and conversion of food-grade and non-food polythene bags and films. The company operates a single BRCGS AA+ accredited manufacturing site at Chester Park, Alfreton Road, producing HDPE, MDPE, and LDPE polythene in thicknesses ranging from 9 microns to 250 microns. Its product portfolio spans lay flat and gusseted tubing, food-grade and retail carrier bags, gusseted box liners, single wound, double wound, and centre fold sheeting, supported by in-house print, stockholding, and distribution services. The company claims exclusive "RAM Strength Film" technology that enables high-strength thin films, and offers a 30% post-consumer recycled-content film specifically designed to help customers manage UK Plastic Packaging Tax exposure.

The business operates a B2B sales-led model with direct sales engagement via phone, email, and website enquiry form, using bespoke quote-based pricing for made-to-order products. Customers are spread across five vertical segments: food processing (primary), pharmaceutical/medical, industrial, retail, and specialist trade manufacturers (other extrusion companies, conversion plants, and packaging merchants). Geographic reach is concentrated in the United Kingdom and Ireland, with the company stating it serves customers "further afield" without specifying markets. The company holds BRCGS Packaging certification (progressing from A+ in January 2023 to AA in March 2024 to AA+ in February 2026), Made in Britain membership, and Sedex membership, which collectively serve as a regulatory and reputational moat for food-grade and pharmaceutical supply chains.

Revenue is not publicly disclosed; no institutional investors, funding rounds, acquisitions, or leadership changes are referenced in the available data. The company appears to be founder-owned and operated, with organic incremental growth evidenced by the 2024 launch of a retail packaging line (printed carrier bags and mailing bags) and the progressive BRC certification improvements. The integration footprint is minimal — payment processing via Sagepay and a content website — and no app, API, or AI/ML capabilities are present. Investor-relevant risks include concentration of operations at a single manufacturing site, exposure to UK plastic-tax and sustainability regulation, and the absence of disclosed scale metrics (revenue, headcount, customer logos).

Name

Reform Polythene

Legal name

Reform Polythene Limited

Website

https://reformpolythene.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Reform Polythene Limited is a UK-based, BRC AA+ certified manufacturer founded in 1995, specialising in the extrusion, print and conversion of food-grade and non-food polythene bags, films, tubing, liners and sheeting for food processing, pharmaceutical, industrial, retail, and trade customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Polythene Packaging Manufacturing

NAICS

Plastics Packaging Film and Sheet (including Laminated) Manufacturing (326112), Plastics Bag and Pouch Manufacturing (326111), Plastics Packaging Materials and Unlaminated Film and Sheet Manufacturing (32611)

SIC

Unsupported Plastics Film & Sheet (3081), Plastics, Foil & Coated Paper Bags (2673), Plastics Products, Nec (3089)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYIMANACAA

Packaging Film Extrusion (Flexible Packaging Films)

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Plastics & Rubber Manufacturing/Plastic Film, Sheet & Profile Extrusion

SECONDARYIMANAEAD

Plastic Films & Laminated Packaging Structures Manufacturing

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Plastics & Rubber Manufacturing/Plastic Packaging Products Manufacturing

Keywords

• Polythene film manufacturing
• Extrusion print conversion
• Food grade polythene packaging
• Bespoke polythene bags films
• Thin film polythene liners

Headquarters

HQ city

Derby

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, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Polythene Products Manufacturing and Sales: Reform Polythene manufactures and sells bespoke polythene bags, films, tubing, liners and sheets to order. Products are made to exact customer specifications including size, colour, thickness, and printing requirements. Revenue is generated through one-time product sales based on customer orders.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Reform Polythene manufactures bespoke polythene bags and films through in-house extrusion, printing and conversion. Products include food-grade bags and liners, lay flat and gusseted tubing, single wound, double wound and centre fold sheeting, and printed retail carrier and mailing bags, all supplied to customer specifications of size, colour, thickness and print.

Product overview

Reform Polythene is a UK-based polythene packaging manufacturer offering a comprehensive suite of products and services centered on extrusion, print, and conversion of polythene bags and films. The company operates as a single unified offering with four core manufacturing processes (extrusion, conversion, print, and distribution/stockholding) that produce a portfolio of product categories including tubing (lay flat and gusseted), bags (food grade, carrier, and mailing), liners (food grade and gusseted box), and sheeting (single wound, double wound, and centre fold). Key differentiating technologies include proprietary RAM Strength high strength thin film for cost reduction, and 30% recycled content film for Plastic Tax compliance. Products serve food processing, industrial, pharmaceutical/medical, specialist trade manufacturers, and retail sectors. All products are BRCGS certified and 100% recyclable.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Lay Flat Tubing Continuous polythene tubing wound onto a roll, available in a wide range of widths and gauges. Used to make custom-sized bags for clothing, posters, stationery, carpets, heavy and unpredictable-shaped items.
• Gusseted Tubing Continuous tubing with pleated sides wound onto a roll, ideal for non-symmetrical, bulky or square products. Expanding side design provides flexibility and a snug fit for varied applications.
• Polythene Food Grade Bags BRCGS-approved food-grade polythene bags available in gauges from 9 to 250 microns using thin-film expertise. 100% recyclable, available in blue tint, natural or bespoke colours, made to size specification.
• Polythene Carrier Bags Printed retail carrier bags with glued or welded patch handles, available in any size with single or double-sided printing from single colour to full colour print. 100% recyclable with up to 30% recycled content.
• Mailing Bags Printed mailing bags with punched-out carry handles and an additional adhesive line for returns, available in any size with single or double-sided printing. 100% recyclable with up to 30% recycled content.
• Food Grade Polythene Liners BRCGS-certified food-grade polythene liners available in a wide range of gauges and widths, designed to prevent contamination and create a protective barrier for goods in boxes, trays and cases.
• Gusseted Box Liners Polythene liners with pleated sides that adapt to different shapes and sizes, providing a moisture barrier and preventing contamination between outer containers and goods.
• Single Wound Sheeting Versatile, waterproof polythene sheeting widely used in the food industry. Available in a wide range of widths and gauges, in natural, blue tint or bespoke colours, supplied as a continuous roll or tear-off rolls.
• Double Wound Sheeting Two layers of polythene sheeting wound onto the same roll, ideal for converting into sheets. Durable, easy to store and 100% recyclable.
• Centre Fold Sheeting Polythene sheeting folded in the middle and wound onto a roll. Popular with commercial laundries and used in automated packing processes and form-and-seal applications.
• Stockholding Service Warehouse stockholding service ensuring operational continuity for customers, removing the need for long-term customer storage. Stock levels are monitored by Reform Polythene and customers call off stock as needed.
• Distribution Service Delivery service for manufactured or stock products, allowing customers to call off stock as needed. Distribution is handled through delivery partners to ensure competitive pricing and service quality.

Quantifiable outcome

• Products can be made from 9 microns to 250 microns thickness
• +1 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Delivery PartnersminorOthersReform Polythene works with delivery partners to ensure products are delivered to customers at competitive prices. The delivery partner network supports the company's distribution operations.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Polybags Limited: UK-based polythene bag and film manufacturer offering custom printed and plain polythene packaging across food, retail and industrial segments, directly comparable in product mix, custom manufacturing model and target verticals.
• Sharp Packaging UK: UK polythene and flexible packaging converter producing printed bags, films and pouches for retail and industrial customers, with comparable custom manufacturing and food-grade offerings.
• Polypack Ltd: UK-based polythene packaging manufacturer producing custom printed bags, films and sheeting, serving similar B2B customer segments with comparable bespoke manufacturing service.
• Palagan Polythene: UK polythene packaging manufacturer producing bespoke polythene bags, films and liners for trade and industrial customers, directly comparable in product range and B2B service model.
• Clifton Packaging Group: British polythene film extruder and converter producing bespoke bags, liners and films for food and industrial customers, overlapping closely with Reform's extrusion, conversion and bespoke blend capabilities.
• Challenge Packaging: UK flexible packaging manufacturer producing polythene bags, films and pouches for food and industrial markets with custom printing, serving comparable customer profiles to Reform Polythene.
• Duo UK (Duo Plastics): UK polythene film and bag manufacturer with extrusion and conversion capabilities targeting food, retail and industrial end users, comparable in operational model and BRC-certified food-grade focus.

Broad incumbents

• Berry Global Group: Global packaging giant with a UK polythene film and bag portfolio serving food and industrial markets; a broad incumbent competitor with overlapping product capability but much wider scope.
• BPI Stretch Film (BPI Group): Large British polythene manufacturer (formerly British Polythene Industries) producing a broad portfolio of films, bags and recycled-content packaging across multiple categories and geographies, dwarfing Reform but overlapping heavily on product type.

Emerging players

• Versapack Limited: UK flexible packaging supplier producing polythene bags, mailers and films for e-commerce and retail, an emerging peer in the same materials category with narrower product focus.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Reform Polythene