中文Woodberry Packaging has executed a decisive expansion move, acquiring two established British packaging manufacturers in a single transaction that nearly doubles the group’s headcount and significantly broadens its market reach across pharmaceutical and cosmetics packaging segments.
A Transformative Deal
The Dublin-based packaging group purchased pharmaceutical carton converter Medica Packaging and carton maker F.G. Curtis — trading as Curtis Packaging — in a deal that closed on 3 July 2026 for an undisclosed sum. The acquisition takes Woodberry’s staff from approximately 350 to 650 people, a near-100% increase that instantly transforms the group into one of the larger independent packaging operators in the UK market.
Woodberry Packaging is a subsidiary of Woodberry Capital, an investment firm with a combined turnover of approximately EUR120 million. The group has been steadily building a portfolio of printing and packaging businesses over recent years, with prior acquisitions including specialist carton printer Reelvision Print in 2024, and cards suppliers Incodia and Precision Card Services in 2023, which were subsequently unified under the Certus Card Group brand.
Complementary Capabilities
The two acquired businesses bring distinct but complementary strengths. Medica Packaging, based at an 8,677-square-metre facility in Crewe, is the UK’s largest independent pharmaceutical carton converter. The company produces folding cartons and leaflets for pharmaceutical, healthcare, and medical customers, and reported a turnover of GBP23.1 million as of May 2025. Its pharmaceutical focus adds a high-value, compliance-driven segment to Woodberry’s portfolio.
Curtis Packaging, founded in 1937 and based in Redhill, Surrey, specialises in folding cartons for the cosmetics and personal care markets. The company reported a turnover of GBP22.7 million in its latest accounts and holds the distinction of being the first UK carton manufacturer to achieve B Corp certification. It was also named Printweek’s Company of the Year in 2025. Curtis had itself been acquired by Medica in 2022, meaning the two businesses already share integrated operations.
Strategic Vision
Peter Santo, Woodberry Packaging Group CEO, described the acquisition as a major step toward European expansion. “This is part of a clear, long-term strategy of bringing high-quality businesses together and integrating them well to create a stronger whole,” Santo said. “Medica is the UK’s largest independent pharmaceutical carton converter, and Curtis is one of the most respected names in cosmetics packaging. We want to learn from both teams, invest in their businesses and create opportunities none of us could achieve alone.”
The acquisition gives Woodberry control of three PS 9000-accredited carton sites in the UK, a credential that is increasingly important for pharmaceutical packaging supply chains. PS 9000 certification, which combines ISO 9001 quality management with pharmaceutical-specific requirements, is often a prerequisite for supplying major pharmaceutical companies.
Operational Continuity
Operations across both businesses are expected to remain unchanged, including branding, management, and staffing. Medica managing director Gerard Harford emphasised that customers would see continuity rather than disruption. “We have built our business on the quality, compliance and security of supply that pharmaceutical customers depend on, and becoming part of a larger group gives us greater scale and investment to do more for them,” Harford said.
For James Williams, Curtis managing director, the move represents an opportunity to scale the company’s sustainability credentials. “We have built a strong reputation in cosmetics and personal care packaging, and we are one of the most sustainable carton manufacturers in the country,” Williams said. “Joining the wider Woodberry group gives us the scale and investment to build on that, while keeping the service and standards our customers value.”
Consolidation Trend Continues
The Woodberry acquisition reflects a broader consolidation trend in the UK packaging sector. Mid-sized packaging converters are increasingly attractive targets for investment-backed groups seeking to build scale, diversify into regulated markets, and achieve operational efficiencies through shared infrastructure. The pharmaceutical packaging segment, in particular, has seen sustained demand growth driven by increasing global pharmaceutical production and the complexity of compliance requirements.
For the cosmetics and personal care segment, the emphasis on sustainable packaging — exemplified by Curtis’s B Corp certification — is becoming a competitive differentiator rather than a niche positioning. Brand owners are setting ambitious packaging sustainability targets, and converters that can demonstrate verified environmental credentials are winning contracts that would previously have gone to larger, less agile competitors.
Santo indicated that further acquisitions are likely. “The group has been built by bringing high-quality businesses together and investing in them, and that does not stop here,” he said. “Europe offers real opportunities for a group of our scale and accreditations, and we are always in conversations.”
The acquisition also positions Woodberry to benefit from two important regulatory trends. First, the increasing stringency of pharmaceutical packaging compliance requirements — including anti-counterfeiting measures, serialisation mandates, and tamper-evident designs — favours converters with PS 9000 accreditation and the scale to invest in compliance infrastructure. Second, the cosmetics industry’s shift toward verified sustainable packaging, accelerated by EU regulations and major brand commitments, creates premium opportunities for B Corp-certified manufacturers like Curtis.
For the wider UK packaging market, the deal signals that mid-market consolidation is accelerating. Investment-backed groups with a clear buy-and-build strategy are increasingly able to outbid trade buyers for quality assets, bringing capital and strategic discipline that family-owned businesses may struggle to match. The result is a more concentrated, more professionalised, and more investment-capable UK packaging sector.
Source: Printweek (printweek.com), 7 July 2026
