Effective from yesterday (7 September), the independently owned umbrella business is now known as PPB, and has the strapline Service on Display.
The name change reflects a change in company focus and an investment in 20 new staff over the past few months, eight of whom previously worked for Paperlinx.
PPB has also invested in new machinery, including a fourth sheeting machine that can take reels up to 2.5m-wide, and expanded its product range to cover sign makers, fabricators and wide-format digital printers.
The company now stocks and converts industrial plastics, graphical products, digital display materials and aluminium composite materials (ACMs).
PPB managing director Richard Proctor said the new name promotes a clear message to customers and suppliers about what the business is now capable of delivering.
“We have integrated our three businesses under one brand, PPB, to supply display products nationally. This new name strongly reinforces our reputation for converting materials, bespoke sheeting, including wide-format digital print sizes, and re-reeling,” said Proctor.
“We’ve taken on new people, some of whom are selling industrial plastics and ACMs, so because we’re now selling a lot of products and services that don’t fit under the paper and board name; the company names weren’t really fit for purpose.
“We felt we ought to have one company name and one umbrella that all these different products were under so that we could be more upfront in the marketplace and so people would associate us with all the things we have done in the past as well as the new things we’re bringing on board.”
PPB now has a turnover of £25m and 75 staff. The new employees include digital sales staff Joanne Smeeton and Glenn Crowley, ACM manager Paul Neale, industrial plastics manager Darren Raistrick and group product manager Simon Balderson. The bulk of the new staff have been taken on in warehousing and distribution.
Proctor added: “The demise of Paperlinx has changed the display market in its most significant way for 25 years. There were many highly qualified people and fantastic products left looking for new opportunities and investment.
“This is of course a great opportunity for us at PPB to build on our experience in this sector and we are relishing the chance to use our skills to better serve a sector that we already know and understand.”
Proctor's father John Proctor set up Proctor Paper & Board in Leeds 37 years ago. In 1994 the business set up a company called Buchanan Paper & Board in Leicester and in 2010 it acquired London-based A&R Board Sales. Combined the three sites have more than 6,500sqm of warehousing.
PPB’s collateral, signage and vehicle livery has been changed across the three sites to reflect the rebrand and the firm will also be further improving its warehousing and logistics.
