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UK plastics processing firms Omega and Signal merge

Two plastics processing firms in the United Kingdom have merged to create the Omega Group and become a stronger supplier with expanded capabilities and technology. The merger is formed from the partnership between Omega Plastics, which operates two UK facilities in Blyth and Hartlepool, and Signal Plastics based in Washington, UK. The successful merger of these companies will result in the creation of jobs, investment in new technology and a move into larger premises in order to meet increased customer demand.

Clare Goldsberry

November 23, 2015

3 Min Read
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Two plastics processing firms in the United Kingdom have merged to create the Omega Group and become a stronger supplier with expanded capabilities and technology. The merger is formed from the partnership between Omega Plastics, which operates two UK facilities in Blyth and Hartlepool, and Signal Plastics based in Washington, UK. The successful merger of these companies will result in the creation of jobs, investment in new technology and a move into larger premises in order to meet increased customer demand.

As a result of the merger, the expanded group is projected to turn over in excess of $13 million and increase the number of employees from 80 to more than 100 across the three sites. Omega Plastics and Signal Plastics will retain their individual names and each will continue to provide their existing customers with rapid prototyping and production tooling, and plastic injection molding services.

Left to right: Julian Jamieson, Dave Crone, Gary Powner and Alan Franklin.

A spokesman for the Omega Group told PlasticsToday that through the merger, the company has significantly increased its production capability across a range of sectors. "We're achieving this through investment in new technology, facilities and people. Our enhanced reach enables us to deliver high-volume products and services to international markets while retaining our lower volume capability with niche customers."

Omega Group will be led by Dave Crone, Group Managing Director; Gary Powner, Omega Plastics Managing Director; Alan Franklin, Signal Plastics Managing Director; and Julian Jamieson, Operations Director at Signal.

Commenting on the merger in a release, Crone said: "Both of our businesses had proven successful in their respective markets but there were sufficient complementary overlaps in our products and processes to make a strategic alliance of the two almost inevitable. Omega Plastics will continue to provide first class design, tooling, molding and assembly with the added benefit of specialty high-volume molding provided by Signal Plastics. The combination of our resources and expertise means Omega and Signal are now even stronger together."

Omega Plastics was formed in 2006 and was originally based at Team Valley, Gateshead. In 2007, the company moved into a purpose-built, 10,000-square-foot facility in Blyth that it retains today. Five years later, in order to increase production capacity, Omega opened a second 10,000-square-foot facility in Hartlepool.

Since its launch in 2007, Signal Plastics has moved three times into increasingly larger premises, said the release. In January 2016, the business will move to a new 42,000-square-foot facility in Washington.

Franklin commented in the release: "Like Omega Plastics, our business has experienced sustained growth in a relatively short period. The merger has provided the stability we need to complete our latest move to a much larger site and to make further investments in the plant and machinery that will increase our production capability. We're also aiming to create more than 20 new jobs over the next year and, together with our colleagues at Omega, we will be sharing best practices and offering improved career development opportunities to our workforce."

About the Author

Clare Goldsberry

Until she retired in September 2021, Clare Goldsberry reported on the plastics industry for more than 30 years. In addition to the 10,000+ articles she has written, by her own estimation, she is the author of several books, including The Business of Injection Molding: How to succeed as a custom molder and Purchasing Injection Molds: A buyers guide. Goldsberry is a member of the Plastics Pioneers Association. She reflected on her long career in "Time to Say Good-Bye."

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