MHW Magazine News and stories from the Materials Handling Industry
June 2010 marks the 40th Anniversary of trading for Structure-flex Limited of Melton Constable, forty years that have seen the company develop from a one-product manufacturer – the Original Big Bag – to one of the UK’s leaders in the manufacture and global supply of flexible intermediate bulk containers (FIBCs), some very innovative flexible pvc fabrications and curtain sides for commercial trucks and trailers.
Despite a growing reputation for innovation – Structure-flex has become an expert in the use of pvc for the packaging of both dry bulk and liquids – the Original Big Bag has maintained its position at the heart of the business, being used extensively in the oil industry. Structure-flex is also known for its ability to think laterally, and has, over the years, supplied solutions to many individual and demanding packaging and storage problems. Examples of this are the manufacture of a test bag that replicated the shape and weight of a diving bell for an oil supplier, bags designed specifically for the safe removal of oil drilling waste in Alaska, spheres for the up-and-coming extreme sport of ‘sphering’ and a water storage tank that solved a water shortage problem for the Antarctic Survey at the South Pole!
The production of truck and trailers curtains, and latterly tarpaulins and pvc sheeting, has played a major role in the company’s development as Structure-flex has consistently remained a leading UK supplier for over 30 years. Structure-flex Promotional Graphics, the company’s technically-driven design studio, has also developed an enviable reputation in this sector, offering stunning, individually designed wide format printed graphics for local, national and international businesses.
Ian Doughty, Managing Director of the company, comments: "We have achieved our expansion and diversification both by acquisition and organic growth, which has enabled us to enlarge and diversify our product range and customer base significantly. Our real strength lies in the expertise and commitment of our loyal workforce. When I first became involved in the company in 1988, it was, as it still is, a major manufacturer of FIBCs, and although we now have many more products in our portfolio, the Original Big Bags remain at the core of our business.
"The past forty years have had their challenges, and I’m proud of the fact that Structure-flex remains one of the major employers in this area of North Norfolk. I realise that Structure-flex owes its success in no small part to its workforce without whose loyalty and hard work this anniversary wouldn’t have been reached. We will mark our 40-year milestone with a celebratory event for our employees and their families plus a number of other activities including a link up with other businesses which have successfully reached the same milestone this year."
