Welsh Government Innovation is supporting Primepac Solutions Ltd to develop dual capability equipment to produce sachets and wipes in response to Covid-19.

There has been a large increase in the requirement for sachets and single use wipes during the current pandemic. This project will develop capability to manufacture single use alcohol wipes for hands and surfaces, and increase capacity in sachet production from 1.32 million sachets a week to 1.98million.

In the last four weeks, Business Wales reports Primepac has produced over six million sachets for a number of customers. The company forecasts this will continue in future with projected increases as lockdown restrictions change and businesses increase activity. The sachet business has seen an increase in turnover of £196,000 in the last five weeks, with enquiries for over 2.5 million wipes worth around £100,00.

Primepac seeks to develop dual capability to obtain a machine that can produce both sachets and wipes and increase their capacity to allow them to manufacture wipes and sachets without impacting on existing set ups, utilising a 70% alcohol gel mixed on site.

The company currently supply home care and personal care products and have purchased wipes and sachets for onward sale to customers, so capability to produce wipes will further support and other customers, as well as meet the immediate need for sanitising wipes. As a contract packer, customer requirements differ, so this will allow flexibility within the business to allow them to react to support customer demands whether they are looking for wipes or sachets.

If successful, this project will allow Primepac to increase their capability and capacity to produce, in large numbers, hand sanitiser sachets and sanitiser wipes. It will also allow them to offer individual user size packs that will in turn reduce the need for the general public to buy sanitisers that would previously be destined for the NHS and key workers.

Primepac Solutions Ltd was formed in 2005 and are based in Ebbw Vale. They are a contract packer specialising in making sachets, filling bottles and hand assembly for the home care, personal care and health and wellbeing sectors.