PAPERMARC, one of Burnley's biggest employers, is celebrating its first full year in business following a management buy-out from Smurfit Paper and Board

The buy-out was led by managing director Mark Slevin after the Irish-based Smurfit group decided to sell the Calder Vale mills.

And now, after a multi-million-pound investment programme, Papermarc and its 250 workers in Burnley are looking forward to a bright future.

Mr Slevin said turnover in the first demanding year was more than £45 million as it developed new products and markets.

A warehouse on the Heasandford Industrial Estate had been developed into the newest solid board box plant in Britain where 50 staff produce packaging for the food and horticulture industries, both in the UK and internationally.

Mr Slevin said the Heasandford satellite unit was also the UK's only producer of solid board boxes using cardboard produced on its own laminator which was thought to be the most technically advanced in Europe.

"Paper making in the UK is a challenging industry which faces hurdles such as the weakness of the Euro, the new levy on energy supplies and accelerated investment in environmental improvements," he said.

"Any one of these is a burden on manufacturing industry, but all three together, in the company's settlling down year has proved particularly demanding.

"However, Papermarc is now trading on a secure footing and is looking forward to a long and successful future. Hard work, commitment and clever thinking by the whole team has seen Papermarc through its first traumatic period.

"The future is now up to all of us and I have no doubt that the company is set fair for many years to come. We all look forward to helping Burnley develop into an industrial centre of excellence."

All the company's products are fully recyclable and are made from recovered waste paper, much of which is collected in East Lancashire and the North West.