The purchase means that Benson Box moves into the pharmaceutical and healthcare sector. The combination of the two creates a business with a turnover of nearly 40m. Benson Box primarily prints packaging for the food market while Medica Packaging prints cartons and patient information leaflets.

"We needed to make the next step up and Medica Packaging has a very good reputation in its market," said Benson Box managing director Mark Kerridge.

"The immediate priority is to get the two companies working together and grow both businesses."

All 170 jobs at Medica Packaging will remain and the company's management team will be headed up by Peter Brassington and Steve Wood. Managing director John Beardmore will retire from Medica after a handover period.

Medica Packaging was previously part of the Wellcome Foundation but an MBO was staged in 1993. Its clients include GlaxoSmithKline.
Grant Thornton Corporate Finance acted as advisers to Benson Box, while The Royal Bank of Scotland provided funding for the acquisition.

In 2004, Benson Box invested 3m in new equipment including a MAN Roland 706LV press.

Factfile
Benson Box
- Based Bardon, Leicestershire
- Turnover 25m
- Workforce 223

Medica Packaging
- Based Crewe, Cheshire.
- Turnover 12m
- Workforce of 170