Cullen Sustainable Packaging is investing £5 million to expand its Glasgow facility, where it uniquely manufactures both corrugate and moulded fibre in one location.
Cullen is scaling its manufacturing operations in response to growing demand, with continued investment in machinery and infrastructure supporting its trajectory towards industry-leading output. Currently producing around 0.5 billion products annually, the business is targeting a doubling of output through continued investment in capacity and expansion into new markets, with the business already seeing increased output as demand for sustainable moulded fibre and corrugate packaging continues to grow.
Order volumes are increasing across its core markets, while EPR regulations are reshaping the economics of plastic packaging. The privately owned business has been on a trajectory of sustained growth over the past decade, and the latest investment is designed to align capacity with the demand it is already experiencing, with further growth expected as new markets come online. The investment has also created new jobs at the Glasgow facility, adding to a workforce that has grown consistently alongside the business over the past decade.
At the heart of the programme is the launch of Cullen’s new Moulded Fibre Machine 8000, a proprietary production line designed and built entirely in-house by the company’s own engineering team. Brought online after six months of development, the machine ramped up rapidly following launch, reflecting both the pace of demand and the role of new capacity in supporting Cullen’s growth trajectory.
As the world’s only manufacturer combining corrugate and moulded fibre capability under one roof, Cullen occupies a unique position in the UK packaging industry. Unlike other manufacturers, which source production equipment from external suppliers, Cullen designs and builds much of its own machinery, giving the business full control over output, speed, and product specification. Machine 8000 incorporates the company’s latest belt technology, delivering improved throughput efficiency and quality. The business also operates a closed loop recycling system, processing over 8,000 tonnes of its own corrugate waste annually and feeding it directly back into moulded fibre production, embedding circularity into the manufacturing process itself.
Machine 8000 is part of a wider £2 million infrastructure upgrade programme that includes improvements to existing production lines and the installation of a new Kasemake X5 corrugate sample table, which enables Cullen’s design team to develop and deliver packaging samples to customers at greater speed.
The expansion comes as EPR regulations reshape the economics of packaging across the UK, accelerating the shift away from plastic and driving brands to seek reliable domestic alternatives at pace. Cullen is already seeing record growth in key categories including food and drink, medical, industrial, and ecommerce, and is experiencing significant early traction in markets it has recently entered. In home fragrance, where brands are actively seeking plastic-free alternatives for candles, diffusers, and related products, enquiries and order volumes have grown sharply since the category was opened. Further capacity additions are planned in the coming months in anticipation of continued demand growth.
The investment delivers a significant increase in production capacity. With current output at around 0.5 billion products annually, Cullen continues to scale production in line with growing demand, with further investment set to support a planned doubling of output. The business serves customers across 35 countries from its 14-acre Glasgow base.
“This investment is a response to real, sustained demand from our customers,” said Maureen Stevenson, Head of Marketing at Cullen Sustainable Packaging. “The new machine ramped up quickly following launch, and we are already planning the next phase of expansion. That is what growth-led investment looks like in practice, not speculation, but response.”
Cullen Sustainable Packaging is the world’s only manufacturer combining corrugate and moulded fibre packaging capability under one roof. Privately owned and based in Glasgow on its 14-acre site, the company designs and builds its own production machinery in-house and has delivered sustained growth over the past decade, serving customers across 35 countries.
For more information, visit www.cullen.co.uk.
