West Midlands-based merchant and convertor Middleton Paper and its paper merchanting division, Vision Paper and Board, has announced a multi-million pound investment in new equipment.

The main acquisition will be a brand new state-of-the-art Pasaban 1850 sheeter due to be installed in March 2015. Pasaban are one of the leading paper converting machinery manufacturers in the world and this new sheeter boasts a host of features designed to handle the diverse range of products required by customers.

This new installation will be the third brand new sheeter purchased by the company over the last ten years.

The company has also announced that the existing Pasaban 1650 sheeter will be upgraded to the latest specifications in conjunction with the arrival of the new equipment.

As a result of this initiative the packaging board and large format sector will become the main focus point for Middleton Paper’s ambitious plans for growth. The sheeting capability will be greatly enhanced and sizes from 300 x 310mm up to 1850 x 2200mm will be readily available in a substance range from 40 – 600gsm.

The new sheeter, along with the upgrades to existing sheeters, will provide the most advanced sheeting accuracy technology across all operations.

The company’s stock range investment plan is already underway. It allows Middleton Paper to offer consistency and greater depth of stock. Storage volumes are being increased and additional racking installed to cope with the expansion strategy. In addition the delivery fleet will also be expanded to further enhance Middleton Paper’s high levels of service and customer support.

Jason Middleton, Managing Director said, ‘This investment clearly puts us ahead of our competitors in UK paper and board conversion and ensures that we can provide our customers with the best and most efficient service possible. Our business continues to thrive and diversify and, thanks to our committed staff, we have a real sense of excitement for the Middleton Paper including its merchanting division, Vision Paper and Board, has a £40M turnover, supplying the UK market with around 80,000 tonnes of paper per year. The company has 120 employees, based at three UK sites.

For more information on Middleton Paper, its service and products visit the website: www.middleton-paper.com