Established in 1989, WBC, which has 55 employees and an annual turnover of £18 million, is now a leading packaging and display product supplier to the speciality drinks and food sectors. WBC is the latest acquisition by Premier as it expands into added-value and complementary markets and follows the purchase of lamination film supplier Zulu Packaging (Now Premier Lamination Films) in July this year.
Michael Beever, CEO of the Premier Paper Group says: “We are delighted to welcome the WBC team into the group and we are excited to be supporting them in the next phase of their development. Although the businesses sell to very different market sectors, many of the same values are common to both organisations. Having WBC as part of our group will open up many opportunities for all parts of the company to develop product and service offerings through the sharing of knowledge and expertise. The acquisition of WBC is an important next step for Premier as we continue to complement our traditional paper merchant business with expansion into added value sectors.”
Chairman of WBC, Andrew Wilson says: “Strategically, being part of Premier opens up many opportunities for WBC customers and employees. Our core values have always guided how WBC operates and interacts with all of its customers, suppliers and employees; it was vital for me that the legacy, of a business driven by its values, continues with any new owners. I strongly believe that both companies share similar values and the WBC legacy will flourish under Premier’s stewardship.”
WBC Managing Director, Tim Wilkinson adds: “The change in ownership will enable WBC to grow and prosper under a larger and well-respected organisation. The additional resources, logistics support and expertise provided by Premier will allow us to expand and improve our service and product choice to customers. Being part of a global company also gives both our customers and suppliers confidence and reassurance in these unpredictable times.”
WBC has an excellent reputation and the name has strong brand equity within its market sectors and will remain unchanged. In addition, the current management team and all 55 WBC employees will be retained to ensure the continuity of customer and supplier relationships, high service levels and to facilitate future growth.
The Premier Paper Group had a turnover of £187m in 2021 and is a leading supplier of paper, packaging and materials to the UK market. In turn, Premier is part of OVOL Japan Pulp & Paper Co. Ltd., a global company that operates in 21 countries with a turnover of $5bn.
Date Published: 06/01/2023