• Flexibles: growth in challenging market
    Flexibles: growth in challenging market
Close×

Revenue at Pro-Pac Packaging rose by five per cent in the quarter to December 31, driven by new flexibles customers, in what the company said was a challenging market.

Sales rose to $81.1m for the quarter, up from $77.8m in the previous three months, with flexibles up to $63.9m from $60.6m, while specialty packaging was steady at $17.2m.

Pro-Pac said the trading environment “continues to be challenging” as the cost of living crisis impacts on discretionary spending for consumers.

Cashflow at Pro-Pac for the quarter was an outflow of $2m, predominantly due to a seasonal increase in net working capital for the quarter. The company’s payments included $2.5m for a new printing press, with installation completed this month; it will be operational by the end of this quarter.

Pro-Pac has $2.5m in cash on hand, and of its $39m in financing facilities, it has unused credit facilities of $16.8m, including $5.6m from a government grant.

During the quarter it made $3.4m in payments to related parties, including $385,000 to directors and execs, and $3m to Visy “on arm’s length terms”.

Food & Drink Business

Specialist contract processing winery, Winemasters SA, has gone into administration after the site failed to sell. Hall Chadwick partners, Brent Kijurina and David Trim, have been appointed administrators.

George Weston Foods' (GWF) new Mauri flour mill in Ballarat is nearing completion after three years of construction, with the facility expected to be operational by the end of 2026. The Victorian government is supporting the project, which was initially announced in 2022, under its $150 million Victorian Investment Fund.

Months after announcing its exit from food science research, CSIRO has released a regional food system strategy for South East Queensland, calling for coordinated action on supply chains, land use, and food security ahead of the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.