A business launched from modest premises on Grimsby’s King Edward Street has been crowned in the King’s Awards for Enterprise.
ALLpaQ, a leading packaging manufacturer serving the pharmaceutical industry, was started by managing director Phill Allen in 2009. This past week has seen it named as an inaugural recipient of the renamed prestigious royal accolade, delighting the Cleethorpes-born entrepreneur.
Now based in Widnes, Lancashire, the first five years saw the bulk liquid specialist develop in North East Lincolnshire, before he headed across the M62 for personal family reasons.
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Recognised in the International Trade category, ALLpaQ has exported to 26 countries and was a key supplier to many global Covid projects. Turnover recently hit £10 million, with a team of 55 now employed.
The citation focuses on the role in Operation Warp Speed, the US vaccine roll-out. ALLpaQ worked with the military, managing the Moderna operations, with overseas sales growing 176 per cent in the three year application period. Exports now account for 66 per cent of total turnover.
Mr Allen said: “I am extremely proud and honoured. It's a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire team, especially during the challenging times of recent years, including the Covid-19 pandemic, where we played a small but vitally important role in supporting our clients in the production and rollout of vaccines, globally.
“Today, ALLpaQ stands tall as the originator of all-plastic bioprocess containers and, as a business, we maintain our industry-leading position through a relentless commitment to continued product innovation and excellence. So, receiving a prestigious British award such as this really means the world. It validates the reputation we’ve built internationally and recognises our commitment to always delivering the best products and services to our customers.”
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Mr Allen was born in Cleethorpes and became part of the first intake at The Humberston School when it opened in 1977. He left sixth form in the third week to work in retail, progressing to a management role with Currys in Scunthorpe. Moving into the business-to-business market with Kingston Reprographics of Hull, he went on to work for Fender Power Transmission across the region before entering the packaging industry a quarter of a century ago, with TNT Container Logistics. He later joined Schoeller, part of the Swedish International Liquid Handling Group. Made redundant in 2009, it was then he started on the path of bringing forward his own products, taking an office on King Edward Street while using contract fabricators to make them.
A two year spell at Europarc followed, before the move across the M62, initially to Warrington.
Five years ago there was a significant step-change in the business as manufacturing was brought in-house, and at the height of Covid the firm was producing products from four factories in Widnes and Runcorn.
“This award is a direct result of the tireless efforts, commitment and innovation of our wonderful team,” he said, praising businesses he still uses in North East Lincolnshire. “We are one big family, and that family extends to all of our suppliers such as World Cargo Logistics and our extended marketing team at CMA, who have been with us since the beginning, joining us on this fantastic journey, helping raise awareness and grow our business from the town of Grimsby to Widnes, Ireland and now the rest of the world.
“The King’s Award is just the beginning. It isn’t just a seal of approval of what we’ve achieved, but motivation to continue to grow and to never compromise on quality and excellence as we do so.”
Alongside the world’s largest range of all-plastic bioprocess containers, specifically designed for clean room environments, the company offers custom-fabricated laboratory accessories, single-use bags and a range of support services to “empower scientists from discovery, development, clinical testing to manufacturing”.
The ‘family’ team actually includes wife Kirsten, the financial director - who he met after moving to the North West - and five other family members. A keen Grimsby Town fan, he still has family in Scartho and Waltham, while through the company, they have a wellbeing retreat for employees on the Fitties.
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