Sheffield cardboard box maker is delivering the new economy

Holdsworth Packaging has been stacked out after locked down companies switched to deliveries.

General manager Justin Harding said: “We have adapted, shuffled and juggled work around so we have been able to meet customer demand and hopefully our place in the chain is proving vital and important to the local economy and indeed the health interests of all.”

Since the outbreak, the company, on Carley Drive, Westfield, has supplied local businesses who are:

- Supplying ventilator parts

- Manufacturing shields for shop tills

- Developing and supplying ‘industrial’ hand sanitiser dispensers

- Producing face masks/shields (local schools who using the laser cutting equipment)

- Providing food hampers

- Providing fruit and veg shops with boxes for home deliveries

- Producing dairy products

- Producing gardening equipment and have turned to online sales to maintain business

- Producing cleaning equipment for the NHS

- Selling home-brew kits online

- Brewing beer and selling it online

- Selling bespoke hobby goods online

- Selling cakes online

One customer is Hartley’s Fruit Cabin in Bradway which has been swamped by delivery orders.

Mr Harding added: “The people and businesses who are involved in the supply chain are often ‘up against it’ as they are pressured to turn things around quickly.

“We do find though that in some cases, businesses who rarely use packaging don’t know where to turn to and whilst the internet offers ‘lots of options’ often we find, customers need some guidance and support and this is what we try to do well.

“Our business has suffered somewhat due to a downturn in existing sales from our existing customer base, but we have seen many positives from those mentioned above.

“By adapting to suit the market needs, we hope that we can too continue to function and support local companies in the coming weeks and months.”

Holdsworth Packaging was formed in 1989 by Chris Holdsworth, following a career selling packaging in London. It was run from the spare bedroom at his home in Dore, Sheffield.

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