Medica Packaging is to separate from the UK packaging company Benson Group and become an independent provider of medical packaging owned by a group of private individuals and managed by London-based private equity company Sullivan Street Partners.
Medica, which employs more than 100 people in Crewe, produces high grade printed cartons, leaflets and labels. The company has a strong heritage of specialist pharmaceutical and healthcare carton packaging services going back to 1922 and was formerly part of the Wellcome Foundation. The company was purchased by food packaging business, Benson Group in 2005, which was itself acquired earlier this year by Graphic Packaging International to form a global food packaging group. The separation allows the two businesses to focus on what they each do best.
The plan for the future is to focus Medica Packaging on its core strengths; providing specialist cartons, leaflets and labels to the healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors, with the exceptional levels of service and quality product required by those clients.
To lead Medica’s planned development, John Bath has been appointed as Chief Executive. With more than 25 years of leadership experience in the packaging industry, Bath has been at the forefront of highly relevant businesses in the sector, including Rexam Medical Packaging, PCI Europe, Brecon Pharmaceuticals and United Drug’s European Packaging Group. Working closely with him will be Medica’s General Manager, Keith Greasley, who has been with the company for five years.
‘I have known Medica for many years and admired the company’s reputation,’ said Bath. ‘The investment and new clarity of purpose is inspirational for our people, meeting our vision to become the most highly valued provider to the demanding markets we serve.’
Greasley added: ‘The whole team at Medica fully embraces this opportunity, one that it truly deserves. I know we will all continue to show the determination and application we have over recent years, which will deliver the long-term success we all want for our business.’
The new owners are private individuals, investing through Sullivan Street Partners. Richard Sanders, a representative of the investor group, said: ‘We are delighted and privileged to have acquired Medica Packaging. The industry leading skills, knowledge and experience of Medica’s team are at the heart of our plans for the future and provide the perfect starting point for growth over the long term.’
