A Huntingdon firm was crowned SME of the Year at an industry awards ceremony.

Charpak Ltd, based in St Peter’s Road, scooped the award at the UK Packaging Awards held on October 30.

All Charpak’s clear and black PET packaging is manufactured from recycled plastics and is both reusable and recyclable.

Paul Smith, managing director, said he was delighted to accept the award on behalf of the company.

He said: “With plastics pollution being negatively portrayed we must also remember the advantages that plastic gives us as a material used in technology, telecoms, transport and medical and healthcare developments, to name just a few.

“As with other materials plastic can be recycled and reused in new products – we do it every day. Our commitment is to manufacture packaging from recycled plastics and we encourage far larger companies to work towards a sustainable future by following the lead in reusing and remanufacturing from existing resources.”

Sales and innovation director, Justin Kempson added: “We are delighted to be recognised by the industry for the commitments we make as a UK independently owned SME exploring innovations in materials, technology and design. There are a number of development projects underway, so watch this space.”

Going into next year, Charpak will continue its drive forward in designing and delivering recyclable packaging across its existing core markets and expanding into new markets.

The awards ceremony was held at the Grosvenor House Hotel, in London, and was attended by more than 700 representatives from across the industry.

Charpak Ltd grew from a small team when it launched in 1986 and now employs more than 140 people. With a 2017 turnover of over £11million the business continues to invest in its people, processes and machinery in support of its growth strategy.