Coppice Acquires £40m Food Packaging Group PFF Out of Administration

Food packaging manufacturer PFF Group has been acquired by Coppice Alupack Limited in an unconnected party pre-pack transaction following the appointment of joint administrators from Interpath Advisory.

Howard Smith and Richard Harrison were appointed administrators to PFF Packaging Limited, PFF Packaging (North East) Limited, and PFF Packaging Group Limited on 1 October 2025. Immediately upon appointment, they completed a sale of the business and assets to Coppice, which has taken on all 239 employees, including directors.

Headquartered in Keighley, West Yorkshire, with an innovation centre in Sedgefield, Stockton-on-Tees, PFF manufactures recyclable rigid plastic packaging for the food industry. The group generated turnover of about £40 million but had come under mounting strain from inflationary input costs and subdued consumer demand across the packaging sector.

Interpath said the company had traded successfully for many years but was unable to maintain sufficient working capital amid sustained margin pressure. After an accelerated M&A process failed to deliver a solvent outcome, the directors sought the appointment of administrators.

Coppice, which supplies packaging to the food manufacturing, processing, and catering markets, said the acquisition strengthens its innovation capabilities and product range while ensuring continuity for customers. This marks its second acquisition in recent memory, having bought Telford-based packaging converter Sirane out of administration last year.