Packaging One Ltd has secured a £4 million export contract with one of the world’s largest technology companies, supported by working capital arranged through NatWest and guaranteed by UK Export Finance. The Cheshire-based packaging specialist is using the backing to fulfil international demand for its patented MediaWrap solution, designed to protect smartphones, laptops and other high-value technology products.

The deal highlights a common challenge for fast-growing packaging manufacturers: demand can arrive before cash flow is ready. Packaging One needed to pay suppliers before receiving payment from overseas customers. Without additional working capital, the company risked having to turn down a major export opportunity despite strong product demand.

For innovative packaging companies, access to finance can be as important as access to materials, machinery and customers.

Following a referral from the Department for Business and Trade, UK Export Finance worked with NatWest to arrange a £700,000 loan backed by its General Export Facility. This guarantee is designed to help exporting SMEs access finance so they can accept larger orders, pay suppliers on time and compete in international markets.

Packaging One’s flagship product, MediaWrap, is a patented and trademarked packaging format for hi-tech devices. Products such as smartphones, laptops and electronic accessories require protective packaging that can absorb handling shocks, reduce damage risk and maintain presentation quality throughout global distribution. In these categories, packaging failure can lead to costly returns, product loss and brand damage.

The company has now fulfilled orders across North America, Europe, the Middle East and East Asia. This international expansion shows how specialised protective packaging can create export opportunities for UK manufacturers, particularly when the solution addresses a high-value and fast-moving technology supply chain.

• £4 million export contract secured with a major global technology company.
• £700,000 working capital loan arranged by NatWest and guaranteed by UKEF.
• MediaWrap protects smartphones, laptops and other hi-tech products.
• At least 50 full-time jobs have been supported at the Middlewich headquarters.
• Turnover is expected to grow from £9.4 million in 2025 to £16 million by 2028.

The deal also underlines the strategic importance of packaging in electronics logistics. Technology products often travel through long, complex supply chains before reaching retailers, repair centres or end users. Protective packaging must balance cushioning, material efficiency, ease of handling and brand presentation. It must also be scalable enough to support large export volumes.

For SMEs, export growth can create a funding gap even when the business outlook is positive. Larger orders may require more raw materials, more labour and more supplier payments before revenue is collected. By reducing the risk for lenders, export credit guarantees can unlock the capital needed to bridge this gap.

Packaging One expects the new activity to support further growth at its Middlewich site. The company has increased its workforce and is targeting turnover of around £16 million by 2028, up from £9.4 million in 2025. It is also planning a possible expansion into the United States through a new manufacturing facility, which could open further opportunities in one of the world’s largest technology packaging markets.

The role of NatWest is also significant. The loan forms part of the bank’s wider export lending package and sits within a broader UKEF-backed SME lending commitment from major UK banks. For packaging companies with export potential, this type of financial structure can make it possible to accept contracts that would otherwise be too large for existing cash reserves.

From an industry perspective, the case demonstrates that packaging innovation is not limited to materials or design. Commercial innovation also matters. A company may have a strong product, but growth depends on production capacity, supplier coordination, logistics and access to finance. When these elements align, packaging businesses can move from local manufacturing to global supply partnerships.

Packaging One’s success reflects the value of specialised protective formats in high-tech supply chains. As electronics brands seek secure, efficient and presentation-ready packaging for international distribution, suppliers that combine patented design with reliable manufacturing and export capability will be well positioned.

The UKEF-backed deal is therefore more than a financing story. It shows how targeted support can help a packaging SME convert innovation into exports, jobs and long-term industrial growth. For the UK packaging sector, it is a reminder that global opportunities are available when protective design, operational readiness and financial backing come together.