Latest News
Business Administration Apprentices achieve distinction
Our Level 3 Business Administration Apprentices have both completed their courses and both passed with distinction. Jodie Boyce and Katie Doherty undertook the year long course that has equipped them with knowledge, skills and behaviours helping them to work independently and as part of a team, all whilst gaining a greater understanding of the business and their role within it.
Meet the Team – Matt Ebsworth
Matt Ebsworth is a Production Team Leader at our Coalville site. Matt has been at Board24 for 6 years working within the production side, working his way from top take off to Clamp Truck Driver to a Team Leader. Matt’s role includes leading and supporting his team to meet the production targets, ensuring a happy and well-balanced workforce, problem solving and maximising performance efficiencies.
Team Board24 Walk All Over Cancer
During March, members of our team participated in the annual Walk All Over Cancer challenge – to walk 10,000 steps each day of the month. Raising money for Cancer Research, this is the fourth year that we have supported the challenge and are delighted that this year we raised £655.44. This will be matched by the business and by our parent company, taking the total to a little under £2,000.
Leadership Development Training continues to deliver
A little over a year ago we commenced our Leadership Development Programme, designed to educate, and empower our managers, team leaders and supervisors and equip them with the skills required to do their job well and to enjoy their role. Last year delivered fantastic results with 750 hours of leadership training successfully completed. Now, the first cohort of 2024 has successfully completed phase one of their training too.
Global Recycling Day 2024
2024 is the 7th Global Recycling Day with the Global Recycling Foundation announcing the theme of #RecyclingHeroes. The day was created to help recognise, and celebrate, the importance recycling plays in preserving our precious primary resources and how this translates into protecting our planet for the future. It’s a day to highlight the importance of recycling and the pivotal part it plays in the circular economy.
Why paper-based packaging is the future
Sustainability remains a key priority and focus for consumers and businesses alike, with the latter carefully considering packaging material decisions to align with consumer demand. As such, paper-based packaging, such as corrugated board and boxes, continue to be the material of choice for many.
Meet the Team – Phil Slater
Phil Slater is a forklift truck (FLT) driver in the warehouse at our Coalville site and you might recognise Phil from our website homepage! Phil has been at Board24 since September 2010, and whilst he’s always been a FLT driver, he’s been an intrinsic part of the business in so many other ways.
Eurocentral fully operational
Our Eurocentral site is now fully operational and production at our Larkhall site has ceased. All work has transferred from Larkhall to Eurocentral. Eurocentral is a huge milestone in the history of Board24 and corrugated board production in the UK. It is home to the newest corrugator in the country and the latest technologies mean that it is faster, has enhanced capabilities, and can manufacture superior quality materials more efficiently and sustainably particularly important in the ongoing demand for high quality printed packaging. Capable of producing more than 100 million metres squared per annum, it can manufacture a wide range of flute types including B, C, M, E, BC, MB, and EB. The site is equipped with the latest state of the art corrugating and materials handling equipment to enable consistency, sustainability, and efficiency through advanced process control systems. The site has been designed to complement the other Board24 sites and uses the same business management systems across the group enabling true contingency for supply between the 3 operating sites. Our existing Larkhall team has transferred to the new site and will benefit from working in a new site with modern welfare facilities. We are delighted to retain our skilled, long serving colleagues and they have had a hugely positive impact in making the site fully operation. Furthermore, the new site will deliver greater energy efficiencies and will generate over 25% less carbon emissions which is delivered through superior energy efficiency of the new equipment, on site solar PV and significantly less emissions from distribution. Dominic Drew, Group Managing Director, Board24 commented; “We are very pleased to have Eurocentral up and running and to see the team working on this amazing new corrugator is fantastic. “My thanks go to the team for their professionalism and positivity in making this happen and we look forward to a long history at Eurocentral.”
Dual sites score top at BRCGS audit
In two recent, unannounced visits our Preston and Coalville sites both achieved BRCGS Packaging AA+ accreditation. Our Larkhall site achieved the same level of accreditation last year.
Apprenticeships bring added value to our team
National Apprenticeship Week takes place from 5th to 11th February in 2024. It’s theme for this year is ‘Skills for Life’. Created to highlight the importance of apprenticeships in the workplace, we felt it important to reinforce this message and demonstrate how they bring such value to our team. Currently, we have 13 apprentices across our three sites and they undertake roles in engineering, human resources, customer service, data analysis, health and safety and manufacturing. Their workplace activities and learning are supported by a variety of colleges and training providers, who consolidate the knowledge they are gaining with legislative and technical requirements necessary to achieve the qualifications they are working towards in their respective fields. “Apprenticeships play a vital role in bringing new talent into the business and developing skills for life and the future team of Board24,” said Judith Chadwick, Head of HR, Board24. “It is so pleasing to see more opportunities available ranging from 16+ apprenticeships up to degree level apprenticeships giving people a chance to learn whilst they earn and be passionate about the career they are embarking upon. “Over ¾ million apprenticeships were underway during the 2022/23 academic year, and I would hope to see that rise as awareness grows and the range of opportunities widens. It’s also important to note that they are not just for school leavers and young people. There is no upper age limit on who can apply making them perfect for those wishing to retrain or find a new career path.” To find out more about National Apprenticeship Week or apprenticeship schemes visit https://www.apprenticeships.gov.uk/influencers/national-apprenticeship-week#
