Bank of England Deputy Governor visits GWP Packaging

The Bank of England’s Deputy Governor and Monetary Policy Committee member, Dr Ben Broadbent, has visited GWP’s Cricklade site.

The visit included a tour of the company’s manufacturing facility, followed by a discussion regarding business at GWP, the outlook for the protective packaging and wider manufacturing industries and the current economic climate.

Ruth, who herself sits on a local Bank of England group that has met quarterly over the last ten years, commented:

We were delighted to host Ben and Jamie on their recent visit. Besides a very productive discussion regarding the challenges and opportunities we are seeing, it was great to show them the technology, people, and innovation that we employ at our business.

Ruth added:

The protective packaging industry is a great barometer for manufacturing and the wider economy, so it is really encouraging that the Bank of England takes a close interest in how we are doing.

GWP became part of Macfarlane Group PLC, the UK’s largest protective packaging distributor, following its acquisition in early 2021.

Martin Lawell, Macfarlane Group Financial Analyst, who also attended the meeting with the bank, commented:

Although there has been a continued focus on the distribution side of our business, Macfarlane’s manufacturing division has grown considerably over the past couple of years. Being able to engage with the Bank of England provides encouragement that the strong foundations we have put in place will allow us to continue our plans for growth as we move into 2024.

GWP have a history of welcoming important visitors to our site.

Arguably the most prestigious was Vice Chairman for UK Trade and Investment, His Royal Highness Prince Edward the Duke of Kent, who visited GWP in 2011.

GWP has also hosted the BBC when featuring on BBC 2 coverage of the budget and starring on Points West news. On a separate occasion, Mishal Hussein visited GWP to interview then-CEO David Pedley for her Radio 4 show.

Besides this, GWP has also hosted visits from local students, most notably from the Swindon UTC.

For more information on the Bank of England, please visit www.bankofengland.co.uk.

Alternatively, please view the news section of this site for further details of similar visits to GWP and other news and events.