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Richard Britton of Hull Boxes and Packaging in dialogue with journalist and business consultant Bird Lovegod Richard, it's always interesting how people start out, how did you get into the packaging business… and why packaging? Am I right in thinking this was previously your fathers company? Obviously growing up in the packaging industry, as my father had a company, I always found it interesting and I enjoyed working in his company during the school holidays during the early 1980s. When I was 17 I headed down to London and worked for a company called Ridley Quiney & Co Ltd. This is where I started my real education in the packaging industry; buying packaging products from around the world and selling to packaging companies within the UK and Irish markets. I learnt about all aspects of polythene, s/a tape, papers and many other commodity packaging materials. In the late 1989 I returned to Hull and took up a position in my father's company where I set out to expand the industrial packaging base of the business. What’s the trends in your sector at the moment, I imagine people are trying to move away from plastics, is that happening? There is always new trends and ideas coming and going in the packaging industry. Our sector is quite lively at present and will remain so for the foreseeable future. We hear lots of negatives in the media about plastics but there will always be a need for plastics in the packaging industry, this wont change (just yet!). However there are certain sectors where corrugated can be used to replace polythene especially in the secondary packaging this is where the growth can be achieved well into the long term. You’ve been running the company since 2013, what’s been happening in the last five years, what changes are you seeing? Is the sector growing? In the past 5 years we have seen remarkable growth due to customer service and trust we will deliver on time as required. All our customers are treated on a one to one basis and know there orders are valued however big or small they may be. We have invested very heavily into the short run large format case market where there are far fewer manufactures and greater returns in margin. What do you think the future of packaging has in store for us all? Is there any big changes in the pipeline or business as usual? I believe we will just continue to grow as there is a will within our management to think outside the box to achieve efficient packaging solutions for our customers individual needs. Thanks Richard, it's always interesting to get a little insight into companies and the people behind them. Wishing you well for the next 5 years, and long after that.