Killyleagh Box Company Ltd (KBC)
Chief Executive, Adrian Humphreys, Shrigley, Killyleagh

The Benefits:
New production machine developed costing £27,000 with a calculated return of £400,000 plus over a five year period.

The Company:
The Killyleagh Box Company is based in Shrigley near Killyleagh in County Down. It employs seventeen people and has been established for twenty years. The company is at the forefront of Corri-board a twin wall polypropylene sheet that is used to produce a variety of products. For example, the food industry uses the corri-board boxes for storing fresh fish. A potentially large market within the multi trip sector which is a benefit to the environment.

The Project:
The company wanted to develop a new method of producing the joints on the containers using the polymer corri-board. The traditional methods of fastening were not appropriate or cost effective and a stronger, more effective joint was required, combining speed with an acceptable presentation of product.

Making it Happen:

  • MTP
  • Invest NI - Innovation Credit
  • Invest NI - KTP programme
  • Queen's university Belfast - The Polymer Process Research Centre
  • Innovation Technologies Ireland

Following discussions between an MTP Field Officer and KBC, a role was identified for the Polymer Process Research Centre at Queen’s who later devised and tested successfully a trial method of joining the polymer board together that produced a stronger and durable bond.

At this juncture MTP introduced Innovation Technologies Ireland to the company who later designed and built the new production machine. MTP set up an Innovation Credit from Invest NI followed by a larger grant from Invest NI under the Research & Development programme.

The Result...
A production machine was developed which has been in use since April 1999. The total project costs were approximately £27,000 with a calculated return of over £400,000. INnovation visibility 26

Adrian Humphreys:
“Our new production machine has allowed us to win new business contracts worth over £400,000 and will continue to be of benefit in the future. MTP was an integral part of the development of this process and the machine, without them it may never have come to fruition.”