innovia, wigton

In a Parliamentary debate on packaging, Rory called on Ministers to recognise the positive contribution of companies such as Innovia of Wigton in the field of apprenticeships and community engagement.

Rory said: “We must recognise that the packaging industry is not just important as an industry in itself, but provides a lot of model companies for Britain. Innovia in Wigton, for example, is investing a great deal in the local secondary school, Nelson Thomlinson. It provides excellent apprenticeships, spends more than £8 million a year on research and development, and has achieved a 92% export rate from northwest Cumbria. It is important to remember the good company practices that businesses such as Innovia are involved in.”

Rory was speaking at a Westminster Hall debate on the Packaging Industry, attended by a number of MPs who called upon Ministers to recognise the stature of this sector of manufacturing, responsible for £11 billion of sales and 85,000 employees alone. Mr Stewart joined his colleagues in calling for a level playing field with overseas competitors – in particular in terms of cost, supply and energy taxation – and warned that the pursuit of a ‘low-carbon economy’ should not be at the expense of the UK’s manufacturing industries.