Paper and packaging firm, PG Paper Company, is among the 2024 winners of the Department for Business and Trade’s (DBT) Made in the UK, Sold to the World Awards.
Now in their second year, the awards celebrate the international sales success of small to medium-sized businesses across the UK and provide a stepping stone for further growth and opportunity.
The awards come after new figures from the UN’s body that leads on global trade show the UK was the 4th largest exporter of goods and services globally in 2022, moving up from 7th in the rankings in 2021.
Recognised in the Retail and Consumer Goods category, PG Paper is a global, award-winning pulp, paper and board company that creates markets and solutions to enable trade for paper and packaging products worldwide. It has experienced exponential growth and is now one of Scotland’s largest trading companies, operating in over 60 countries with multiple global offices.
One of PG Paper’s standout achievements was the acquisition of the iconic Trucard brand in 2015. Trucard, with its deep Scottish roots, was historically one of the most well-known brands of the Scottish paper mill, Tullis Russell.
Trucard has a global footprint and is once again available in countries around the world. Trucard is renowned as a premium packaging product, ideal for high-end applications like greeting cards, cosmetics, confectionery packaging, and pharmaceutical packaging.
A global footprint
Exporting plays a pivotal role in the growth and success of PG Paper, with 95% of its sales being made overseas. Exporting serves as a catalyst for expanding the company’s market share, fostering innovation and increasing the conversion rate and revenue.
PG Paper specialises in sourcing pulp, paper, and board from mills worldwide, facilitating global trade. The company exclusively represents multiple global mills in their strategic export markets, recently expanding their portfolio by becoming the exclusive distributor for selected Pankaboard specialty cartonboards in growing markets such as India.
“We’re proud of our British exporters and these Awards highlight some fantastic businesses punching above their weight and selling UK-made products around the world. I hope the winners serve as inspiration to others looking to get onto the exporting ladder and encourage more businesses to showcase the incredible talent and innovation of UK businesses selling abroad.”
Commenting on PG Paper Company’s win, Dr Poonam Gupta OBE, CEO, said: “We’re honoured and thrilled to receive this award, which recognises our 20-year commitment to exporting. It’s fantastic to see our growth and trade strategy acknowledged. Moving forward, we’re focused on expanding our export agreements, retaining loyal partners, and attracting new customers in existing and new markets to ensure our business’s future success and achieve our ambitious growth plans.”
Esteemed company
The winning businesses have been drawn from a diverse range of 12 sectors across 10 categories: Agriculture, Food and Drink; Creative Industries; Education and EdTech; Financial Services and FinTech; Retail and Consumer Goods; Consultancy and Professional Services; Healthcare; Infrastructure and Engineering; Low Carbon Energy; and Manufacturing and Construction. The latter five categories have been introduced as new additions this year to ensure that businesses from all sectors could enter.
Within each category, three additional businesses were also awarded highly commended status for their inspiring business stories and exporting prowess.
Marco Forgione, Director General of The Institute of Export and International Trade (IOEandIT) and panel judge, adds: “As one of Scotland’s largest trading companies that operates in over 60 countries, PG Paper Company is a great example of how international trade can play a pivotal role in the growth and success of a business. With 95 percent of sales now being made overseas, the impact that exports have had on the business has supporting long-term growth, from two people in 2003 to over 50 employees and offices in five countries.”
In 2021, DBT launched the ‘Made in the UK, Sold to the World’ campaign to celebrate exporting success from across the UK and tell businesses’ stories. The awards programme builds on this to further recognise and celebrate the global trading success of SMEs from across the UK.
Winning businesses receive an invitation to an evening Parliamentary Reception and receive a year’s free membership with the Institute of Export and International Trade (IOEandIT). They will also win a digital badge, physical certificate and trophy and enjoy promotional activity across DBT channels, including individual profiles to share their export success.
