Plastic waste is among one of the biggest contributors to the deterioration of our land and marine life, with 79 per cent of it ending up in the ocean or landfills. When Green Bell Packaging started in 2015, there were no government regulations about plastics in place, so the vision was to make a bold change to benefit the environment and society long-term.
While the business initially faced some difficulty due to plastic being so cheap and readily available in the industry, that soon changed for the better when stores were ordered to charge per plastic bag. Consumers became more aware of the issues at hand, while businesses began looking for more environmentally friendly solutions to reduce plastic usage. That’s when interest ramped up for Green Bell Packaging and growth to meet market demand became priority.
With the aim of launching a new solution to market every year, research and development is crucial for the ongoing success of the Green Bell Packaging. The investment from the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund (NPIF) has been a driving force to unlocking that potential. Since receiving the funding, the business has gone from strength to strength, surpassing £1m turnover a result of focus on innovation, expanding the team, moving to larger premises and managing cashflow. It has pioneered a series of new products and solutions for some of the UK’s most established retailers, including packaging derived from sugarcane and other plant-based materials such as paper and seaweed.
The company is capitalising on local connections and entered into a partnership with Liverpool John Moores University to conduct all testing to certify the credibility of its products.
Today, Green Bell Packaging is working with some of the largest retail and e-commerce businesses. With new regulation coming into play around the use of plastics, the business is constantly innovating to source new methods and solutions. For example, it is currently in trial stage for the UK’s first carbon neutral and carbon neutral eco-friendly e-commerce packaging range.
The Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund has been pivotal in encouraging the small business to take steps to reach the next level. Currently importing all products and material from India and Indonesia, Green Bell Packaging is now hoping to fulfil ambitions of establishing a local supply chain, with a manufacturing plant in the UK. The business is also putting plans in place to launch into new vertical markets, as well as focusing on organic growth and R&D.
The Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund invests through appointed fund managers – to find out more visit https://www.npif.co.uk/funds-available/
The Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund project is supported financially by the European Union using funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020 and the European Investment Bank.
