News: United Caps Rotherham facility officially opens

A multimillion pound new production facility has been officially opened in Rotherham by United Caps, an international manufacturer of caps and closures.

Rothbiz reported in 2018 that the Luxembourg-based multinational had selected a site at Dinnington for its first UK location with plans for a phased development on a 4.1 hectare site on the former Dinnington Colliery.

The initial facility was planned to be 54,000 sq ft, with an option to expand to 215,000 sq ft, and production began at the end of 2020.

COVID-19 restrictions have delayed the opening event but it was held recently, attended by Alexander Stafford, MP for Rother Valley, along with many other guests.

Benoit Henckes, CEO of United Caps, said: "We established the Dinnington factory as part of our Close to You strategy, establishing production facilities in strategic regions. This strategy is designed to give us a proximity to customers that enables us to shorten delivery times, promote sustainability and focus on products that are the most relevant to each market region.

"Our Dinnington location has been operational since 2020, but we were unable to officially celebrate and formally open it due to pandemic restrictions. We are delighted to welcome Mr Stafford to join us for this celebration, emphasizing the importance of these types of developments for the economy, here in the North of England.”

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An estimated €20m investment including the first phase of machinery, is expected to increase group turnover by 15% in phase one, and will generate new jobs in the Rotherham area.

United Caps’ Close to You strategy has driven significant investment over the past five years with UNITED CAPS increasing the number of production facilities by 30%, including the Dinnington facility and plants in Malaysia and France. During the same period, the company has grown its top-line turnover by 35%, an impressive feat. With increased production capacity, continued innovation and a runway for growth built in, United Caps is well-positioned to accelerate growth even further.

Alexander Stafford, MP for Rother Valley, said “This is a wonderful, good news story for Rother Valley. United Caps investment into our area brings high-quality, well-paid jobs helping to revitalise Dinnington. This type of investment shows that Dinnington’s fortunes are at last on the up and a vote of confidence in our future.”

Production of beverage and dairy closures is underway and collaborative work has been undertaken with other industry players to develop a standard for EU-mandated Tethered Closures, a part of a sustainability strategy that was devised to keep closures intact, reducing waste and aiding in recycling. The design of the factory allows further sustainability improvements such as reduction in the use of cardboard and wooden pallets.

Henckes added: "This expansion to the United Kingdom is in response to increasing demand there for our products. We chose Rotherham because of its central location along the M1 and the availability of technically skilled people in that area. We are grateful to The Department of International trade for their assistance. This is our first plant in the United Kingdom."

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News: Rotherham facility welcomed into United Caps family

The multimillion pound new production facility has come online in Rotherham for United Caps, an international manufacturer of caps and closures.

Rothbiz reported in 2018 that the Luxembourg-based multinational had selected a site at Dinnington for its first UK location with plans for a phased development on a 4.1 hectare site on the former Dinnington Colliery.

The initial facility was planned to be 54,000 sq ft, with an option to expand to 215,000 sq ft, and production began at the end of 2020. COVID-19 resrtictions meant that an official opening will have to wait.

Instead, the firm used a recent virtual event to highlight is progress against strategic growth initiatives.

The Dinnington facility was to initially focus on beverage and dairy closures, with options to add additional segments as needed. The project represents an estimated €20m (£18m) investment including the first phase of machinery and is expected to increase group turnover by 15% and create 20 jobs initially.

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Benoit Henckes, CEO of United Caps, said: "We opened two new state-of-the-art European plants during 2020, Dinnington in the UK and Valframbert in France. These actions were critical to both our ongoing "CLOSE TO YOU" strategy and to our ability to meet our strategic growth objectives.”

The Dinnington and Valframbert locations were carefully selected in line with the strategy to enhance service to customers in the respective regions. Henckes welcomed the UK team to the United Caps family in December via Zoom as the Dinnington lines came online, due to COVID-19 restrictions. "We have special plans for an official in-person launch day as soon as the pandemic situation allows," he said.

Formerly known as Procap, the company is a leader in the development, production and sale of plastic caps and closures. It serves its customers from ten production plants and 16 sales locations globally. At the end of 2020, the company reported turnover of over €156m (£135m) and employed almost 750 people around the globe.

A preferred partner to the world's leading companies, United Caps produces custom designed speciality closures for the likes of Arla, Danone, Unilever, L'Oréal and Pfizer.

Henckes added: "We continue to enhance our infrastructure to support some of the world’s biggest brands, who look to United Caps and closures to help create new markets, safeguard product integrity, assure safety and consumer health, and ultimately protect brand reputation."

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News: Rotherham colliery regeneration reaches final stages

A number of commercial developments are underway as the site of the Dinnington Colliery in Rotherham nears total transformation.

St Paul's Developments plc and The Homes and Communities Agency (now Homes England) completed a development agreement in 2014 to bring the second phase of the former Dinnington Colliery site forward for development after the success of Phase 1 which was developed and sold off in the mid to late 2000's by the then regional development agency, Yorkshire Forward.

Land sales for the remaining 35 acres were completed earlier this year and now construction work is well underway.

Local developer EV Waddington is on site with an initial phase of development at 31 East constructing seven industrial and warehouse units ready for occupation in late 2019, ranging in size from 4,700 – 28,500 sq ft with agreed plans for a further phases. Knight Frank are marketing them to let.

Also on site are Trebor Developments, working in conjunction with its partner Hillwood, on its 78,558 sq ft Atomic project. This is being marketed by Knight Frank, CPP and CBRE, to provide a quality logistics/distribution or manufacturing base.

Selected contractor, MCS Group Limited, is building a single speculative B2/B8 manufacturing or logistics warehouse with ancillary office space at first floor and associated yard, parking, roadways, landscape and amenities on the five-acre site. The unit will be ready for occupation in December 2019.

Luxembourg-based United Caps, a European leader in the development, production and sale of plastic caps and closures, is investing around €20m in a new production facility which will initially be 54,000 sq ft, with an option to expand to 215,000 sq ft as business growth demands.

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Rebecca Schofield, partner and head of the Yorkshire Industrial team at Knight Frank, said: "The area in the south of the borough has become a proven business location, already home to companies including Macalloy, Johnston Press and Quartzelec.

"The projects on 31 East are both based around construction of quality, speculative industrial units on the prominent site which is located near Junction 31 of the M1.

"When fully developed the 31 East site will accommodate a mix of over 450,000 sq ft of manufacturing, industrial and warehouse space. The vast majority will be constructed speculatively and represents a huge private sector investment in the area.

"This type of quality industrial accommodation will meet local and regional occupier needs and we are already talking to a number of potential occupiers."

Cllr. Denise Lelliott, Cabinet Member of Jobs and the Local Economy at Rotherham Council, added: "This is another excellent example of a former pit site delivering regeneration, following world-leading auctioneers Ritchie Bros recent investment in the nearby Maltby Colliery site. We know there is a market out there for high-quality commercial property. The completed units will be let to inward investors or expanding local companies, which will support business growth in the borough and provide high-value lasting employment for residents."

The sinking of Dinnington Colliery began in 1902 and coal started to be raised in 1905. By 1911 the colliery was providing employment for 2,000 people. It closed in 1992 resulting in 1,000 job losses. The HCA estimated that a regenerated site could create 2,400 new jobs.

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News: Companies continue to invest in the SCR

More than 3,000 new jobs were created in the Sheffield city region (SCR) last year through domestic and foreign investment.

Approximately two thirds of those jobs have been created through 130 domestic investment projects, while a total of 1,010 new jobs have been created through 40 foreign direct investment (FDI) projects.

The 2018/19 figures are broadly similar to the previous financial year, when 3,857 new jobs were created across 152 different projects.

Dan Jarvis, mayor of the Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield Combined Authority, said: "It's good to see continued job creation and inward investment here in the Sheffield city region.

"With high-profile investments from companies such as McLaren and Boeing in recent years, increasing opportunities for cutting-edge collaborations between our world-leading universities and businesses, and an ambitious plan to improve our transport network, our region is an increasingly attractive place to live, work and invest.

"These new figures also indicate that we have held up well against the national picture, which has seen a 14% decrease in FDI projects, primarily due to uncertainty over Brexit.

"But while we're doing well, we can and should be doing better. To grow our economy on the scale that is required, we need a commitment from the new Prime Minister to devolve more powers, responsibilities and funding to regional decision-makers.

"Only then will we have the power to ensure investment is made where we know it will make the greatest impact."

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Beckie Hart, director at CBI Yorkshire and Humber, added: "These figures show that the Sheffield city region remains extremely attractive to investors, and are testament to the strength of the region's offer to investors. We are a hub for technology, research and innovation.

"I look forward to continuing to work closely with Mayor Jarvis as he drives forward his economic vision to help unlock more jobs, investment and prosperity for the region as a whole."

Of the FDI investment last year, 40 projects have together created 1,010 jobs. Recent foreign investment into Rotherham includes Luxembourg-based United Caps announcing plans to invest some €20m in a new production facility in Dinnington. Rotherham-based Glassolutions Installation business of the Saint-Gobain Group was acquired by CoBe Capital, a global private investment firm.

Recommended reading: What makes plastic caps manufacturers essential for modern industries?

Of the domestic investment, 66 of the total 130 new projects are in Doncaster, with 42 in Barnsley, 10 in Sheffield and four in Rotherham. A total of 2,300 new jobs have been created through those projects, 776 of which are in Doncaster and 774 in Sheffield.

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News: United Caps seals planning approval for new Rotherham factory

United Caps, an international manufacturer of caps and closures, has received approval from the planning board at Rotherham Council for its multimillion pound new facility that will manufacture beverage and dairy closures - overcoming issues with its impact on neighbouring Bluebell Wood Hospice.

Rothbiz reported last year that the Luxembourg-based multinational had selected a site at Dinnington for its first UK location and the plans are for phased development on a 4.1 hectare site on the former Dinnington Colliery site.

United Caps has purchased the land from developer St Paul's Developments who produced the masterplan for the wider area, and have also sold adjacent plots of land to other developers for industrial development.

The initial facility will be 54,000 sq ft, with an option to expand to 215,000 sq ft as business growth demands. Four phases of between 50,000 sq ft to 60,000 are proposed. Each phase will add an additional bay incorporating further factory and warehouse accommodation. The offices, complete with a green living wall, will be constructed fully as part of the first phase.

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During the course of the application the layout of the site and building has been redesigned to have regard to the presence of Bluebell Wood Hospice in an attempt to reduce the impact of the proposal. The loading bays and 24 silos, that hold the plastic and are filled twice a day, have been moved from the front to the rear, screened from the hospice by the building itself.

Rob Morrell, principal planner at Rotherham Council explained to the planning board that: "Overall, the principal of the development is acceptable - it's industrial and business use allocation so it meets the policy requirements. The building is industrial in appearance but it has got to be functional for the proposed use.

"There has been negotiation to reduce the height of the building and move the office to the side nearest the hospice. Consideration has been given to the neighbouring use, both in terms of the visual appearance of the building and the noise that could possibly be generated, to ensure that there is no adverse impact."

The facility would be in 24 hour use but HGV movements (up to 40 a day) are to be limited to between 8am and 5pm on weekdays. Traffic assessments have been carried out and it was detailed that the manufacturing process would not create noxious fumes. Conditions around noise are also included.

The hospice, a local ward member and Dinnington St John's Town Council objected to the plans, which would create up to 120 jobs.

Nigel Hancock, assistant planning manager at Rotherham Council, added: "The hospice is a sensitive receptor. What I think that this company has done is shown that it can act as a good neighbour. It recognises that there is that sensitive use next door. It has put in significant mitigation measures to overcome those noise issues and is happy to accept very restrictive conditions that might actually preclude another user going on to that portion of the site.

"The balance is just about right for us."

The board subsequently voted to approve the plans.

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Formerly known as Procap, the company is a European leader in the development, production and sale of plastic caps and closures. It employs around 529 staff and had a turnover of €137m at the end of 2017. 2018 saw the company produce ten billion closures in a year for the first time.

A preferred partner to the world's leading companies, United Caps produces custom designed speciality closures for the likes of Arla, Danone, Unilever, L'Oréal and Pfizer.

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News: United Caps progress Rotherham plans

United Caps, an international manufacturer of caps and closures, has submitted detailed plans for its multimillion pound new facility in Rotherham that will manufacture beverage and dairy closures.

Rothbiz reported earlier this year that the Luxembourg-based multinational had selected a site at Dinnington for its first UK location.

The plans are for phased development on a 4.1 hectare site on the former Dinnington Colliery site.

The plans, drawn up by William Saunders, state that United Caps has purchased the land from developer St Paul's Developments who produced the masterplan for the wider area, and have also sold adjacent plots of land to other developers for industrial development. This month Trebor Developments secured detailed planning consent for a 78,458 sq ft industrial speculative development on the site.

Formerly known as Procap, the company is a European leader in the development, production and sale of plastic caps and closures. A preferred partner to the world's leading companies, United Caps produces custom designed specialty closures for the likes of Arla, Danone, Unilever, L'Oréal and Pfizer.

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The initial facility will be 54,000 sq ft, with an option to expand to 215,000 sq ft as business growth demands. Four phases of between 50,000 sq ft to 60,000 are proposed. Each phase will add an additional bay incorporating further factory and warehouse accommodation. The offices will be constructed fully as part of the first phase.

The proposed development site is bounded by a sewage treatment works to its north, and Bluebell Wood Children's Hospice to the southwest. Access is from Todwick Road and plans include a car park to the offices with parking for 74 cars.

The factory itself is comprised of an incoming materials area with roof mounted plant deck, production areas, and warehousing. The offices and incoming materials areas are the closest to the adjacent children's hospice. These areas feature the lowest parapet height.

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Production is expected to begin at the end of 2019 and will initially focus on beverage and dairy closures. This project represents an estimated €20m (£18m) investment including the first phase of machinery and is expected to increase group turnover by 15% in phase one and will initially employ 20 staff.

The investment in Rotherham is being backed by a £1.5m direct grant from the Sheffield City Region Combined Authority.

United Caps currently has seven production plants across Europe, in Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Luxembourg (pictured) and Spain. It employs around 529 staff and had a turnover of €137m at the end of 2017. Last month, it announced it would also open a new manufacturing plant in Alençon, France to further its "Close to You" Strategy.

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News: United Caps confirms Rotherham investment

United Caps, an international manufacturer of caps and closures, has confirmed that it will make a multimillion pound investment in a new facility in Rotherham that will manufacture beverage and dairy closures.

Rothbiz reported last month that the Luxembourg-based multinational had selected a site at Dinnington in Rotherham for its first UK location.

Formerly known as Procap, the company is a European leader in the development, production and sale of plastic caps and closures. A preferred partner to the world's leading companies, United Caps produces custom designed specialty closures for the likes of Arla, Danone, Unilever, L'Oréal and Pfizer.

The initial facility will be 54,000 sq ft, with an option to expand to 215,000 sq ft as business growth demands. A planning application is being submitted for a site on the 31 East development on the remaining land at the reclaimed Dinnington Colliery.

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Production is expected to begin at the end of 2019 and will initially focus on beverage and dairy closures, with options to add additional segments as needed. This project represents an estimated €20m (£18m) investment including the first phase of machinery and is expected to increase group turnover by 15% in phase one and will initially employ 20 staff.

The investment in Rotherham is being backed by a £1.5m direct grant from the Sheffield City Region Combined Authority.

Benoit Henckes, CEO of United Caps (pictured back row, far left), said: "This expansion to the United Kingdom is in response to increasing demand there for our products. We chose Rotherham because of its central location along the M1, available technical skilled people and the reasonable cost of land in that area. This will be our first plant in the United Kingdom, and we are looking forward to working closely with the Rotherham Council as the project proceeds."

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Cllr. Chris Read, leader of Rotherham Council, added: "We are excited to have a company of the quality of United Caps joining our community. We look forward to working with them to ensure a timely completion of the new factory, as well as future expansions as their business needs dictate. The beginning of operations means 20 new jobs almost immediately, and the welcome news that we can be hopeful there will be many more jobs to come for dedicated local people in the future.

"This development is further confirmation of the attractive location that Rotherham has become for investors, with United Caps sitting alongside McLaren Automotive, Rolls-Royce, Boeing, Siemens, Forgemasters and others.

"The Council and Local Together Partnership are working to give businesses the confidence to invest in jobs, homes and developments within Rotherham and it's resulting in Rotherham becoming one of the fastest growing local economies in the country.

"As the economy continues to grow we can look forward to seeing more local people in highly skilled and entrepreneurial jobs, and Rotherham becoming a quality place to live and work, with a strong transport, digital and environmental infrastructure."

United Caps, which had net sales of €137m in 2017, has made a number of acquisitions in recent years and is opening a new manufacturing plant in Malaysia at the end of 2018. The firm also invests in R&D such as developing greener enclosures using plant-based plastics rather than petroleum-based plastic.

The "Close to You" strategy involves the company becoming more customer-oriented, focused on customisation and service. United Caps said that it conducted a number of market studies leading up to the selection of the Dinnington site.

Henckes added: "Our studies reflected that demand was highest for beverage and dairy closures. More specifically, we will focus on the production of plastic closures for flat and medium carbonated drinks as well as fruit juices and dairy products in PET bottles. Of course, our customers in the United Kingdom will have access to our full portfolio of caps and closures, as well as to the expert resources in our Messia R&D facility [in France]."

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News: United Caps to build £19m Rotherham factory

United Caps, an international manufacturer of caps and closures, has announced that it will invest some €20m in a new production facility in Rotherham.

Based in Luxembourg and formerly known as Procap, the company is a European leader in the development, production and sale of plastic caps and closures. A preferred partner to the world's leading companies, United Caps produces custom designed specialty closures for the likes of Arla, Danone, Unilever, L'Oréal and Pfizer.

In an update on growth initiatives for 2018 and beyond, company bosses confirmed that it plans to extend its operations in the UK with a new United Caps plant in Dinnington, Rotherham.

The company said: "As part of UNITED CAPS' "Close to You" strategy, the company is also planning a new facility in Dinnington close to Sheffield in the UK.

"The initial facility will be 5,000 square meters [54,000 sq ft], with an option to expand to 20,000 square meters [215,000 sq ft] as business growth demands.

"Production is expected to begin at the end of 2019 and will initially focus on beverage and dairy closures, with options to add additional segments as needed.

"This project represents an estimated €20 million investment including the first phase of machinery and is expected to increase group turnover by 15% in phase one."

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United Caps currently has seven production plants across Europe, in Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Luxembourg (pictured) and Spain. It employs around 529 staff.

The investment in Rotherham is being backed by a £1.5m direct grant from the Sheffield City Region Combined Authority. Documents show that funding from the Sheffield City Region Business Investment Fund has been approved which will be used for the construction and fit out of a production plant that will create 40 new jobs.

Based around the reclaimed Dinnington colliery, the area in the south of the borough is a proven business location, home to the likes of Macalloy, Johnston Press and Quartzelec. Local spec developer EV Waddington is active in the area and 31 East is being brought forward by experts at St Paul's Developments. With Enterprise Zone status, the 43 acre site on Todwick Road is adjacent to the existing 45 acre Dinnington Business Park.

United Caps, which had net sales of €137m in 2017, has made a number of acquisitions in recent years and is opening a new manufacturing plant in Malaysia at the end of 2018. The firm also invests in R&D such as developing greener enclosures using plant-based plastics rather than petroleum-based plastic.

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In addition to investing in production, the company has extended its R&D centre located in Messia, France to develop both standard and bespoke products more quickly. About 50% of United Caps' products are created through customer collaboration with the design labs to develop bespoke closures tuned to their specific requirements. In one recent example, Nestlé was seeking a closure for its Nescafé Gold coffee that would support the high-quality image of Nescafé and stand out on the shelf.

Nestlé was aiming for a classy brushed metal look for its new packaging. This required a 100% metallic material to be wrapped around the skirt of a closure, something that had never been done before. United Caps was able to overcome several challenges that were deemed to be impossible, reaching full production in just two years.

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