Esterform Packaging: A brief history
Esterform Packaging was created by three
entrepreneurs in 1998, with the conscious aim of seizing the growing market for
38 mm neck PET bottles for juices and juice drinks, and making it their own.
In March 2001 Esterform acquired Able Industries Limited
of Tenbury Wells. As the first producer of PET preforms in Europe,
Able had over 20 years experience in PET conversion. Technical innovation and
design creativity marked their achievements in this period. In particular,
novel wide mouth PET jars were created for the confectionery and toy
industries. Key accounts included Cadbury, Mars, Lego and Hasbro.
Following the acquisition, the combination of injection
moulding and bottle blowing equipment in Tenbury Wells provided optimum
flexibility for long standing customers for PET preforms and bottles for water,
cider, and soft drinks; and for newer customers in the juice, dairy and
household/DIY sectors.
So successful was the new operation, that in 2005, Esterform
purchased PET specialist Pet Plas Packaging of Leeds
from Alcan Inc. This deepened and broadened Esterform’s
customer base, and conversion skills, in PET.
Today Esterform has an annual capacity of 1.5 billion
preforms, and 720 million bottles, at their factories in Leeds
and Tenbury Wells.