AN EXPANDING Keighley company has opened a £1 million-plus innovation centre.

PFF Packaging Group's groundbreaking new complex will be home to the firm's design team.

The group, established more than two decades ago, provides packaging to many of the UK's major food manufacturers and retailers.

Its headquarters and 100,000sqft production site are at the Airedale Park industrial estate, in Royd Ings Avenue.

Group managing director Andy Bairstow – who officially opened the innovation centre, at Washington, Tyne & Wear – said the new facility would deliver major advances within the UK food packaging industry.

"It is a cutting-edge, creative hub for packaging innovation and sustainability." he said.

"It will enable our team to work alongside customers from across the UK to deliver ideas, concept designs and bespoke prototype packaging solutions on the same day – dramatically reducing the time involved from the industry average of six weeks.

"As well as providing ongoing job opportunities, the development is a significant vote of confidence in the company's future within the region.

"The centre is turning what is traditionally a long and sometimes complex process completely on its head.

"As well as freeing-up precious time for individuals who may have previously been involved in long creative processes, this fast response service will also help food manufacturers get their products into store much more quickly than ever before.

"It's a realisation of our vision and a major advance for PFF, our customers and staff and the packaging industry in general."

The group currently has a 225-strong workforce, just over half of which is employed in Keighley.

Workers from the Keighley site, where more than 500 million units of plastic food packaging are manufactured every year, were treated to a VIP visit to the innovation centre before it's official opening.

Earlier this year, the company introduced a new concept – PFF Perspective – which uses digital information to create computer-generated images of products during the design process.

"It is a fully-interactive customer-focused innovation which opens up endless possibilities and helps shape the way people connect with brands and products," said Mr Bairstow.

"The scope of this technology is limited only by imagination!"