Biopax Ltd recently welcomed a prestigious international guest to its production facility. In late July, Madam Li Li, Chairman and CEO of Masterwork Group Co. Ltd, visited the site in what was her only factory visit in Ireland.
Biopax is located on a redeveloped 8.4-acre manufacturing site and was officially launched in 2023 by Dr Terry Cross OBE, with a planned investment totalling £47m. The company specialises in printed cartons, paper wraps and labels for the food, beverage and non-food sectors. It serves customers across the UK, Ireland and Europe, with growing global supply chain partnerships spanning North America, China, India and Australasia.
Biopax’s machinery includes the MasterMatrix die-cutter and folder-gluers, manufactured by Masterwork Group in Tianjin, China, and supplied through HEIDELBERG, a strategic global partner to the Masterwork Group.
Heidelberg and Masterwork have worked closely together since 2019, when Masterwork became the largest shareholder of Heidelberg, a strategic partnership that brings world-class finishing systems to international markets, including Biopax.
Outside China, Heidelberg is offering the cutting-edge finishing systems from Masterwork exclusively through its global network, with Biopax benefiting directly from this collaboration in the form of advanced, high-performance equipment that supports its sustainable packaging goals.
The purpose of Li’s visit was to view a selection of high-performance packaging machines, specifically the MasterMatrix die-cutter and folder-gluer systems now in use at Biopax. All die-cutters are manufactured in Tianjin, and Diana folder-gluers are manufactured in Slovakia.
Left to right: Phil Buttress (Heidelberg), Maxen Liu (Masterwork Group), Brian Murphy (BDO Northern Ireland), Ryan Miles (Heidelberg), Madam Li Li (Masterwork Group), Paul Thompson (Heidelberg), Dr Terry Cross OBE (Biopax), Lee Carson (Biopax), Patrick Cross (Biopax), Peter Smith (Heidelberg), Xue Yang (Heidelberg) and Ian Trengrouse (Heidelberg).
Biopax currently operates two Heidelberg Speedmaster XL 106 printing presses and an extensive downstream setup featuring Masterwork’s four die-cutting and two gluing systems. These investments enable the business to produce high-volume, high-quality packaging while reducing waste, downtime and environmental impact.
Speaking during her visit, Li said, “Biopax represents the kind of innovation and sustainable ambition that aligns with Masterwork’s values. Seeing our technology in action in this forward-thinking facility was both impressive and inspiring. I commend the Biopax team for their commitment to excellence and their vision for a more sustainable future in packaging.”
The visit also reinforced the strong relationship between Biopax and Heidelberg. “It was a great honour to welcome Madam Li to Biopax and to showcase the advanced machinery her factory has produced,” said Cross. “Our packaging workflow with systems from Heidelberg and Masterwork reflects our belief in global collaboration within our industry as the key to sustainable industrial progress.”
Biopax is currently undergoing further expansion and aims to increase its workforce by the end of the year. Its niche focus on folding carton packaging responds directly to global demand for more environmentally conscious solutions in both food and non-food sectors.
Lee Carson, Managing Director, Biopax Ltd, added, “The MasterMatrix has become a cornerstone of our production line and hosting Madam Li at Biopax allowed us to share how this world-class machinery is driving both quality and efficiency across our operations. Her visit is reflective of the strength of our international supply chain and shared vision for innovation.”
