Injection moulded packaging manufacturer Robinson (Chesterfield / UK; www.robinsonpackaging.com) is looking to grow its business organically in Central Europe, where it currently has a factory in Lodz / Poland. Chairman Richard Clothier said the company was planning for top line (sales) growth in the region, whilst maintaining its hard-won efficiency improvements across the business. Clothier made the comments when announcing a 23% rise in pre-tax profits to GBP 2.7m (EUR 3.2m) on continuing operations for the year ending 31 December 2011. Exceptional gains of GBP 1.4m (EUR 1.7m), including the GBP 1.0m (EUR 1.2m) generated from the disposal of the spiral wound paperboard business to Sonoco (Hartsville, South Carolina / USA; www.sonoco.com) in July last year – see Plasteurope.com of 11.07.2011, boosted profit after tax for the year to GBP 3.3m (EUR 4.0m).

Revenue from continuing operations rose 10% to GBP 21.5m (EUR 25.8m), with the performance of the plastics packaging business improving for the second consecutive year. Half the increase was due to higher prices, but the other half, said Clothier, was from higher volumes, helping to provide a 22% increase in operating profit to GBP 2.1m (EUR 2.5m). There was a GBP 1.1m (EUR 1.3m) investment on new plant and machinery in the period. Robinson also invested in the plastic tub manufacturer Scotplast (Glasgow / Scotland: www.scotplast.co.uk), which specialises in producing in-mould labelled ice cream containers for commercial and retail markets.

Robinson expects consumer demands for its products to remain unaffected by adverse market trends in 2012 because of the company’s exposure to the usually resilient food, drink and toiletry sectors. Progress to date is in line with expectations and the group also expects to secure new business.