Howard Smith and Richard Harrison from Interpath were appointed as joint administrators to entities of a £40m turnover food packaging business PFF Group on 1 October 2025. Upon appointment, the business and assets were sold to packaging group Coppice Alupack Limited in a transaction that secures 239 jobs.
PFF Group is a manufacturer of sustainable, recyclable rigid plastic food-grade packaging that operates out of its head office in Keighley, West Yorkshire, as well as its innovation centre in Sedgefield, Stockton-on-Tees.
While the business had historically traded well, inflationary pressures and soft consumer demand seen across the packaging industry, had impacted its ability to maintain working capital. After launching an accelerated M&A process, the Directors took steps to appoint administrators after a solvent solution could not be found.
The joint administrators were appointed to PFF Packaging Limited, PFF Packaging (North East) Limited, and PFF Packaging Group Limited on 1 October 2025 and immediately secured the sale of the business to international packaging group Coppice, which will now look to support its customer base in delivering growth.
As part of the transaction, all 239 staff have transferred to Coppice, which supplies the food manufacturing, processing, and baking industries, as well as the wholesale, institutional catering and non-food markets. For Coppice, the transaction provides a platform to further expand its product range, strengthen its innovation capabilities, and offer customers greater flexibility and service.
Howard Smith, Managing Director and joint administrator, said: “PFF has been one of the largest independent players in the UK packaging industry. However, businesses across the sector have felt significant pressure after such a prolonged period of high input costs and weak demand from key consumer markets. This transaction secures a considerable number of jobs in the sector and brings PFF into the Coppice group, reflecting continued consolidation in UK packaging. We wish them all the best.”
Rob Atkin, Managing Director at PFF Group, said: “We’re incredibly passionate about what we do and have this opportunity to take the business forward into a new chapter as part of Coppice, which has shown remarkable organic and acquisitive growth in recent years. We look forward to joining the team, which will create new collaboration and innovation opportunities, and continue our commitment to supporting for customers with quality, sustainable products that meet their evolving requirements.”
Derek Nixon, CEO of the Coppice Group, said: “We’re thrilled to welcome all PFF into the Coppice family – bringing together the best of both firms. This acquisition marks a significant milestone for us as a business and reinforces our commitment to driving sustainability in the packaging sector. PFF’s portfolio of packaging solutions, particularly in the food and healthcare sectors, technical expertise, and customer relationships are highly complementary to our business, and we’re excited about the opportunities this integration will bring. We’re committed to working with all the team at PFF to continue as we continue our mission to disrupt the packaging market and bring comprehensive solutions, flexibility, service, and innovation to our customers.”
