Multi-million pound contract for Belfast packaging firm

Belfast based packaging firm MSO Cleland has announced a multi-million pound contract to supply packaging to American giant lingerie retailer Victoria’s Secret.

The announcement was made during a visit to the company by, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment, Sir Reg Empey.

Announcing the deal, Sir Reg said: “This multi-million pound contract will see packaging products produced in East Belfast exported across the globe to locations in Europe, Canada, Taiwan and China.

“It is an excellent example of a Northern Ireland company competing and winning in the international arena. It shows that, even in the most competitive sectors, success is possible for a quality driven company which can add value to its products.”

The contract to supply Victoria’s Secret, America’s largest intimate clothing retailer, is worth £1 million per year to MSO Cleland, part of the W&G Baird Group.

Celebrating his companies success MSO Cleland Managing Director Dominic Walsh, said: “Victoria’s Secret have been so pleased with the quality of our work so far that we are now supplying all of their printed packaging requirements outside of the USA.

"We will be supplying approximately 500,000 units per month to a range of countries across the globe including China, Taiwan and France. This is a very significant contract for MSO Cleland, and comes simply because of the exceptionally high standards of print and service delivery."

MSO Cleland, who employs over 200 people, produce carton packaging and point of sale material for the food, textile, gift and multi-media sectors, with additional services in rigid boxes and self-adhesive labels.

The company has also pioneered microwave packaging for food at a unique facility that has received support from IRTU, now part of Northern Ireland’s new economic development agency, Invest Northern Ireland.

MSO was formed in 1984 with the acquisition and amalgamation of two long established Belfast packaging companies – McCaw Stevenson & Orr Ltd and R R Browne Ltd. MSO Cleland was formed in 2000 when MSO bought over John Cleland Ltd. (MB)