iPac Packaging Innovations to hire 23 new staff at Gateshead manufacturing plant

A growing North East packaging company will create almost two dozen jobs after purchasing a 28,000 sq ft industrial unit in Gateshead.

iPac Packaging Innovations is expecting the new space, located at Albany Road near Gateshead town centre, to enable it to take on an additional 23 staff over the next six months.

The unit will serve as a manufacturing plant as iPac brings its packaging production in-house.

The company provides packaging solutions for retailers and food processing businesses through its supply chain partnerships.

HTA Real Estate, the Newcastle-based industrial property agents, facilitated the sale.

iPac finance director Jonny Catto said: “The acquisition of our new Albany Road site is a major step forward for iPac.

“The premises are currently undergoing an extensive refurbishment programme in order to bring it to the highest level of food packaging hygiene and quality standards.”

He continued: “We have already completed phase 1 of the project, which means we are now “production ready”, phase 2 will be completed by October 2017 allowing capacity expansion, and further expansion works are planned for 2018.”

HTA Real Estate director Russell Taylor completed the deal.

He commented: “We are very pleased to have brokered this sale with iPac. In total it is a 2.55 acre site at Albany Road, which gives iPac significant expansion opportunities with scope for future development on the vacant land.

“The premises have a larger than average on-site power supply and the site provides easy access to the A1 for logistics purposes.”

Russell added: “We continue to see a high level of demand for manufacturing and warehouse premises which are available on a freehold or long leasehold basis and especially those which incorporate expansion opportunities.”