News

Kendon Packaging Group has been forced to make way for the 2012 London Olympics after its factory was bought by the London Development Agency through a compulsory purchase order.

The company relocated its factory, warehouse and part of its transport fleet from Bow Paper Works in Stratford to the Innova Industrial Estate in Enfield, Middlesex, at the beginning of May.

The 5,400sqm Enfield warehouse is equipped with narrow aisle racking for 6,000 pallets, which is one stack higher than at Stratford.

The firm said a "high proportion" of its workforce of 60, comprising skilled machinists, factory and warehouse staff, had relocated to Enfield.

Group managing director Alistair Kendon said it was "gratifying" that so many staff had moved.

"Transferring what we have been doing at Stratford to Enfield amounted pretty much to a straight swap. However, our other sites and our customers will benefit because of the proximity to the M25. Enfield offers us the opportunity to take the group forward," said Kendon.

"We would have been quite happy to stay in Stratford as our links with the area go back a long way. However, this was not an option, so we've had to move to Enfield."

Bow Paper Works takes in virgin and recycled kraft, greaseproof and tissue paper in roll and sheet form and cuts it into products to meet customer requirements.

Other products include biodegradable carrier bags, wrapping paper and greaseproof papers for the food industry.

It has relocated the sheeters, re-reelers and guillotines for this work to the new premises.

Kendon Packaging Group was set up in Bow, east London, by Leslie Kendon in 1933 to sell paper and twine. His sons Alistair and Edwin have been with the business since 1961 and 1970, while his grandson Frazer Kendon joined in 2000.

The group also includes Kendon Packaging (Midland) in Nottingham and Dewsbury; Portland Poly-Bag Supplies, also in Nottingham; Kendon Rope & Twine in Wakefield; Harver Packaging and T Y Nuttall in Manchester; and Ingham Paper & Packaging, which is now run from Enfield.

It employs 200 people in manufacturing, converting and distributing packaging materials.