This consolidation by RPC at Gallamore Lane Industrial Estate is the latest chapter in a phenomenal local success story for a firm that started out in a shed behind a King Street shop in 1950 but now extends across 13 countries with a turnover of £650m and a workforce of 6,700 based at 50 sites globally.

The Market Rasen site operates around the clock seven days a week making all manner of plastic packaging for many famous High Street brands including Nestlé Smarties, E45 Cream and J Arthur Bowers.

With a current staff of 135 it is the largest private employer in the town and one of the largest in West Lindsey.
Works manager Bruce Margetts said the company locally had grown by 50 percent in the past two years and the latest plans to use part of the existing warehousing as an additional production area, would increase business by at least £2 million.

"Approximately 20 per cent of the warehouse will be adapted to allow extra machinery to be installed," he said. "There will be no additional noise and, as we will be taking one of the cooling towers out and replacing it with a new chiller plant at the front of the premises, we hope there will be an actual reduction in noise levels for our neighbours."
Market Rasen Town Council's planning committee last week supported the plans, but did raise concerns about the prospect of increased noise levels.

The ultimate decision on the plans has to be made by West Lindsey District Council, with determination expected
soon.

* Does this planning application affect you - for good or ill? Send us your thoughts. Email michael.steed@jpress.co.uk, write in or text 81800 beginning your message MRNEWS.


How it all began

RPC began when hairdresser Gordon Trill opened a small packaging company behind his King Street shop to make packaging for his hairdressing business.

His first external contract was the packaging for the 1953 Coronation Crown and such was its success that the Plastic Box Company, as it became, was sold to Smith and Nephew of Lincoln in 1966.

The Gallamore Lane site opened in 1970 and the relocated King Street operation remained until the early 90s.
The business was bought by McKechnie's of Stamford Bridge in 1986, who in 1994 sold it to the RPC Group, a management buy-out company formed in 1991.

By this time, there were seven RPC sites across the country, with a turnover of £60 million.

Today there are 50 sites in 13 countries across the world with an annual turnover of £650 million and a workforce of 6,700 - 135 of them currently in Market Rasen.