Record turnover for Roberts Mart leads to £900,000 investment

Turnover at the Leeds-based company rose by £4m to £38m, the highest in the family-run firm’s 167-year history.

Roberts Mart, which has a staff of 200, is based in purpose-built headquarters at Thornes Farm Way in east Leeds. It supplies shrink wrap, laminated film and printed flexible packaging to clients in the food and drink, home textiles and paper products industries.

The company is investing in two new machines, a high-speed slitter and a laminator. The new £400,000 slitter has multiple automating solutions which will increase firepower and flexibility in the production process, while the Super Combi 4000 laminator and coater cost £500,000.

Managing director William Roberts said: “This significant investment in new equipment is possible because we have a healthy order book – with a good number of new customers coming through the pipeline as well. We are seeing growth across the board, particularly food, where we are seeing much more opportunity in snacks and confectionery.

“Normally you would spread capital expenditure out over a period of time but the amount of new business we are winning dictates that this time it has been made all at once. It has been an excellent last 12 months – and in the light of our new investment in the slitter and the laminator, which will make our production process swifter, sharper and more efficient, the future looks very bright indeed.

“We are indebted to our hard-working staff...They are the bedrock of our success.”