Leeds packaging business invests £600k in expansion plans

Leeds Vacuum Formers (LVF), the packaging solutions firm, is investing £600k to expand the business.

LVF has already invested £500k in a new Kiefel KMD Speedformer thermoforming machine and is planning to spend a further £100k on the expansion of its tool room before the end of the year.

The company, whose thermoformed packs can be found on the shelves of UK supermarkets, says the investments will expand its output capabilities by 25%, and significantly increase the speed with which it is able to develop new tooling.

Nigel Coates, managing director of LVF, said: “It’s important for any business to put in place the building blocks for future development, and given the successes we’ve enjoyed in recent years the timing was perfect for us to invest now.

“Come mid-Autumn, the Kiefel machine will be installed, and by the end of the year the tool room will have been relocated and expanded, and a new toolmaker employed; all of which will put us in a position to increase production output whilst maintaining the flexibility of service that is so important to our customers.”

Manufactured in Germany by Kiefel, the Speedformer is designed to enable the rapid and low cost production of rigid plastic packaging products. It will be the fourth Kiefel machine on LVF’s shop floor.

At 2700 sq. ft., LVF’s new tool room, which will be located on a new purpose built mezzanine floor, is almost double the size of its existing facility.

The expanded tool room will be manned by four full-time toolmakers, plus LVF’s design and development manager, Daniel Coates.

Nigel added: “These two developments really do represent a big step forward for LVF. And for to come in our thirtieth year of trading makes them feel all the more significant.”

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