A manufacturer of carton packaging has opened a new facility in Livingston to meet growth in demand for luxury goods.

Compack Cartons has relocated its operations from a neighbouring unit on the Houston Industrial Estate to an 8,000 sq ft building following a £13.5m investment by its Port Glasgow-based owner McLaren Packaging.

The firm designs and manufactures carton packaging for premium and luxury brands in the food and drink, pharmaceutical and medical device sectors. All its products are manufactured from 100% recyclable materials.

McLaren acquired the business in 2017 and has since doubled its workforce and quadrupled turnover.

The investment has significantly upgraded Compack’s capabilities, including the purchase and refurbishment of an existing 66,000 sq ft unit, investment in new equipment and the latest print, foil, embossing and finishing technologies.

The unit also has 1,200 pallet space storage on site. The investment, which received grant support from Scottish Enterprise, will create 26 jobs and safeguard 59 existing positions over a two-year period.

Steve Railton, managing director of Compack, said: “The larger production facility and industry leading machinery gives Compack the capability to better serve the needs and growth aspirations of our key customers responsibly.

“Our goal is to have the most energy efficient, sustainable facility in the UK. Our new facility expands our production capacity significantly, enables us to attract and retain highly skilled staff and create new skilled jobs in Central Scotland for young people.

“It also gives us the ability to manufacture short runs, to short lead times with a short supply chain to local and international companies based in the UK.”

Donald McLaren, managing director, McLaren Packaging, said: “The investment in Compack demonstrates the importance of our Livingston operation and our long-term commitment to the future of premium and luxury packaging produced in Scotland.

“We foresee significant opportunity for locally sourced packaging and this expansion will allow us to offer a comprehensive portfolio of eco-conscious packs to the market. There is considerable client interest for this proposition and the venture will enable us to deliver on this opportunity.

Founded in 1979, McLaren Packaging manufactures a wide range of paper-based packaging for the premium drinks and Scotch whisky sectors. At the forefront of paper-based packaging throughout its 43-year history, it operates from six factories in Central Scotland with annual revenues of £45m and a workforce totalling 300.

The Livingston facility was opened by Wellbeing Economy Secretary Neil Gray who was accompanied by Scottish Enterprise chief executive Adrian Gillespie who said: “The contribution Scotland’s manufacturing businesses make to the country’s economy is huge.

“Collectively, they employ nearly two hundred thousand people, are responsible for over half of the country’s international exports, and account for almost half of Scotland’s business expenditure on research and development.