Lesters cooks up growth after landing BRCGS ‘AA’ rating

Billy Hutchinson, managing director of Lesters

One of the UK’s leading packaging specialists is targeting growth in the food and drink sector after securing a top BRCGS rating. Burntwood-based Lesters, which has provided corrugated boxes and bespoke packaging solutions for more than 40 years, was given the AA standard for the way it has implemented robust systems to ensure the safety, quality and legality of its products.

It is the first time the Burntwood-based company has gone for the rating that covers everything from quality control and hygiene, to process management and traceability. Led by business support manager Richard Shorthouse and project manager Cerianne Dixon, the process took just six months and is a significant rating for food and drink manufacturers who require this from their suppliers.

Billy Hutchinson, Lesters’ managing director, said: “The food and drink market is one of the UK’s most dynamic sectors, and we see huge potential for growth. Our goal is to be the go-to packaging partner for manufacturers supplying supermarkets, retail outlets and home consumers — delivering solutions that meet the highest standards of quality and compliance.

“The BRCGS standard is fundamental to us delivering the highest possible quality, which is essential when transporting food and drink products safely. To get an AA rating at our first attempt is unheard of and underlines the robust systems we already have in place when it comes to repeatable quality, safety and traceability.

“Our QMS starts at the very top with a strong commitment from the senior management team. This sets out our clear objectives that are monitored and reviewed regularly, with significant investment in training and equipment to ensure continuous improvement.”

Seen revenues rise
He continued: “There are also many other aspects of the quality system including internal audits, traceability testing, supplier approval and monitoring, maintenance of equipment and corrective and preventative measures to ensure issues are not just fixed but prevented through root cause analysis.”

Lesters has seen revenues rise by £7 million since 2023 with customers across automotive, engineering, medical and retail tapping into the company’s ecosystem that takes them from the core box range and specialist design through to supply chain services and an enhanced innovation and R&D offer.

Utilisation of two ‘state of the art’ TCY large format casemakers has revolutionised production speeds and capacity at its 60,000ft² facility on Mount Road and this has been supplemented by the recruitment of eight new people across sales, design and manufacturing.

Importantly, all of this contributes to giving the company, which also holds ISO 9001 (quality), ISO 14001 (environment) and ISO 45001 (health and safety) accreditations, a productivity edge over its competitors and means it can now manufacture up to 15,000 boxes every hour — a 150% increase on what it could deliver in 2022.

Mr Hutchinson added: “You cannot stand still in our sector, and we are working hard to innovate the way we do things that will ultimately benefit customers across more than 10 different markets. The ‘Lesters’ ecosystem is really taking shape. We start with the design and bespoke tailoring of our boxes, then this moves to the manufacture of the packaging and, through our sister company Lesters Logistics, a full-service third-party logistics service.”

He concluded: “Clients now have nationwide access to ‘stock and serve’, ‘pick and pack’ and full-scale storage and distribution services. Our approach really is now ‘cradle to grave’.”