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MSO Cleland grows with £5m investment & new jobs
Belfast-based packaging company MSO Cleland is to tap further into growing demand for sustainable packaging as it makes a £5m investment in its business.
MSO specialises in complete packaging solutions from design through to delivery of carton board packaging and labels for the food and drink and pharmaceutical sectors.
The investment includes the purchasing of new equipment, which will enable the business to build on existing capabilities and develop a strong competitive position. In addition, 35 new jobs will be created, contributing £800,000 in annual salaries for the Northern Ireland economy.
MSO Cleland is investing £5m at its Belfast factory and creating 35 new jobs / Picture: MSO Cleland
Joanna Calixto, managing director of MSO Cleland, said: “Since taking over MSO in 2013, we have significantly restructured our business and worked hard to rebuild an impressive reputation in the packaging industry across the UK, ROI and increasingly into Europe.
“We have just installed a new state of the art Heidelberg lithographic printing press and over the next two months will be taking delivery of Bobst die cutting and gluing machinery.”
Invest Northern Ireland’s chief executive officer, Kevin Holland, added: “This investment is an important strategic step for MSO Cleland, which has clearly identified a business opportunity and is investing to capitalise on it. Over the last number of years, demand for sustainable packaging has surged as companies and consumers look to reduce their dependency on plastic packaging.
“Recognising this, MSO is investing £5million to purchase new equipment, which will help it to build a strong and solid competitive position. In addition, the 35 new jobs will contribute £800,000 in annual salaries for the Northern Ireland economy and will help the company to accelerate its growth internationally.”
In 2018, the company benefitted from a knowledge transfer partnership with Ulster University, which helped it to increase its technical knowledge and move into the manufacturing of sustainable packaging.
Joanna concluded: “With Covid-19, it may seem a strange time to many to make this investment, but we’ve been laying the foundations for the last number of years. This has included creating our growth strategy and setting up our apprenticeship scheme, focusing on the right skill sets and business culture for our workforce in preparation for this next phase. This investment gives us the latest capabilities, enabling us to continue to innovate and add value to our customers’ packaging.”