Q & A with Grace Collingwood
Plastic Mouldings Northern Ltd (PMN) is a renowned industry leader with innovation and collaboration at the heart of their operations. We caught up with Grace Collingwood, Internal Sales Co-ordinator at Plastic Mouldings Northern Ltd, to find out more about the North East-based vacuum forming specialists.
Tell us about Plastic Mouldings Northern and the product range?
Plastic Mouldings Northern operates on a national and international scale, and we have built up a prominent reputation across the manufacturing sector globally with customers and industry peers.
The main output at Plastic Mouldings Northern is the production of vacuum-formed plastic parts, which sees us supply high-quality and often very intricate moulded parts to an array of industries. As vacuum forming specialists, we have over 200 years of combined experience in the field, and the expertise within the company in this area continues to drive the company forward.
Alongside our vacuum forming operation, we are one of the UK’s leading suppliers of plastic packaging solutions, including Euro containers, across a wide range of industries. Storing over 100,000 products on an expansive site spanning 3 acres and 65,000 square feet of indoor storage, with efficiency and experience coming as standard. Alongside the Euro containers, we are also a leading supplier of folding pallet boxes, solid big box containers and plastic pallets, as well as offering a range of accessories, including lids, trolleys, bespoke dividers, trays, and inserts from our Bishop Auckland site in the North East.
Tell us about your journey so far?
I started my journey at Plastic Mouldings Northern in September 2023, right after completing my degree in Human Geography from the University of Manchester. My academic focus was on sustainability and meeting net zero targets, which has given me a unique perspective on the packaging industry. Joining this company has been an exciting adventure; I’ve dived straight into the world of vacuum forming and returnable packaging. The team here has been incredibly supportive, helping me transition smoothly into a completely new environment. Every day presents new challenges and opportunities to apply my knowledge and develop innovative solutions for our customers.
What does your role involve?
My role at Plastic Mouldings Northern is primarily centred around customer management and project coordination. I work closely with our clients to ensure their projects run seamlessly from start to finish. This involves understanding their specific needs, collaborating with our team to devise efficient solutions, and overseeing the implementation process. Given that each enquiry is unique, my role requires a lot of creative thinking and problem-solving. We are dedicated to delivering exceptional service and ensuring our clients are satisfied with our products and support throughout the entire process.
What are the key driving attributions to success at PMN?
We are heavily invested in relationship management and finding solutions for our customers. From the onset of joining the team, it was very clear that investment in building long-standing working relationships is a key driver here at Plastic Mouldings Northern.
This has led to the prominent reputation we have in the industry and sees us work globally with a number of big industry players, including London Underground, Mercedes, Bentley, Rolls Royce, Jaguar, JCB, and BAE Systems. A really strong USP we have as a solution provider is that we are not beholden to any one manufacturer, so we can scour the world to get results for customers. This customer-centric focus and support throughout the project journey can’t be underestimated.
What are the biggest business challenges in the industry?
For me, one of the biggest challenges in the packaging industry today is sustainability. I think I notice this particularly due to my background in Human Geography and a focus on sustainability – I deeply understand the necessity of addressing environmental issues. Single-use packaging is a significant contributor to environmental problems, and there’s an increasing demand for sustainable solutions. Whilst most people see plastic as a villain when considering the environment, they don’t make the distinction between single-use products and the returnable solutions that we can provide. Transitioning to returnable packaging is a crucial step towards sustainability, but it involves overcoming several obstacles, including initial cost implications, changing consumer behaviours, and adapting supply chains. At Plastic Mouldings Northern, we are dedicated to providing sustainable solutions to our customers. We continuously seek innovative ways to reduce our clients’ environmental footprint, helping them to achieve their sustainability goals.