OPM Group honored as Converter of the Year

For decades, OPM Group has been synonymous with innovation, quality and growth.  

Now, OPM Group can add a new title to its list of accolades: Converter of the Year.  

The Leeds, UK-based company received recognition at the Labels & Labeling Global Awards, held on the first night of Labelexpo Europe 2025.  

Accepting the Converter of the Year award on behalf of OPM were joint owners and managing directors Chris and Susan Ellison. The husband-and-wife duo are well-known figures in European label circles. Chris Ellison is a past chairman of Finat and was named a Labelexpo Ambassador for his experience in the flexible packaging space.  

‘This award means a great deal to us,’ Chris Ellison says shortly after winning the award. ‘It’s been a long journey, there was a lot of learning along the way, and it’s nice to be recognized by the industry for our service and commitment. This [award] is for all of our people, both our present people and the people who helped us along the way.’  

In an industry largely represented by private equity and large multinational businesses, the Ellisons are holding strong as an independent and family-run label and flexible packaging manufacturer. Their children, Arnie and Charlotte Ellison, are actively engaged in the business, carrying forward the company on the strong foundation laid by their parents.  

‘We’ve enjoyed bringing our family into the industry; it’s been an amazing journey, but it’s never felt like a chore because we’ve done it together, and so it’s been easy in some ways,’ Susan Ellison says.  

But it wasn’t just OPM’s independence and industry involvement that earned them the Converter of the Year Award. The judges were impressed by OPM’s leadership in flexible packaging and the company’s work driving technical progress and positive change not only in the industry, but in the wider community (see boxout).  

We’ve enjoyed bringing our family into the industry; it’s been an amazing journey, but it’s never felt like a chore because we’ve done it together

‘I’ve had the privilege of watching OPM Group grow and evolve over many years, and this award is a testament to its commitment to excellence,’ says Andy Thomas-Emans, chair of the judging panel. ‘Chris and Sue have never been afraid to innovate, invest and diversify, while always maintaining the highest standards of quality and integrity. This award was rightly deserved.’  

History  

OPM was established in 1985 as a traditional label printer with a small converting line and a desktop printing machine. Slowly, the company grew to add more flexo equipment, more employees and a larger footprint. Today, OPM Group has 100 employees, an annual turnover of 38M USD, and a 62,000 sqft facility.  

By the late 1990s, the UK label market was starting to feel a little crowded. OPM, led by Chris and Susan, began looking at ways to innovate. Flexible packaging was a natural extension of the production processes already in place at OPM.  

‘Modern narrow-web UV flexo presses, especially those equipped with servo drives and modular configurations, are already capable of handling a wide range of substrates beyond pressure sensitive labelstock,’ Chris Ellison says. ‘Films, foils, laminates and paper-based materials can be printed, laminated and converted in-line, enabling converters to produce flexible packaging formats such as stand-up pouches, sachets, shrink sleeves, flow wraps and lidding films without major capital reinvestment.’  

Chris Ellison co-authored the Label Academy book on flexible packaging production as the company developed deep expertise in coatings and materials, and encouraged suppliers to change their supply chain models to better serve the burgeoning narrow and mid-web market.  

Ellison says it’s even easier for a label converter to diversify today than it was when he got started. Today’s flexible packaging sector is reshaped by sustainability, consumer demand for convenience, and the rise of e-commerce, making it the perfect moment to enter the market.  

Strengths  

Chris Ellison says part of the strength of OPM Group is knowing where it can succeed. For OPM, its success is in being a fast and agile converter, as well as a short-run specialist that focuses on quality and innovation. This often means OPM takes on challenging applications and spreads its portfolio across end uses and a diverse customer base.  

‘We produce products that either have very high barriers to entry for our competitors in terms of investment or are in a very niche market,’ Chris Ellison says.  

Perhaps the most significant factor in the company’s success has been its ability to listen to its customers. The Ellisons were not afraid to change the course of the business when the customers dictated it.  

‘I have a saying: God blessed us with two ears and one mouth, we should use them in that ratio,’ Chris Ellison says. 

OPM was quick to recognize the potential of flexible packaging, with an entrepreneurial foresight in place long before others in the industry. By 1999, OPM Group had added short-run flexible packaging to its label portfolio.  

The Ellisons found that customers wanted flexible packaging in the same way that label converters were accustomed to delivering it.  

They could produce high-quality flexible packaging in smaller minimum order quantities than a traditional flex pack converter could offer, and in a matter of days, not weeks. Speed to market really gave OPM its competitive edge.  

‘Label converters are the ultimate short-run specialists,’ Chris Ellison says. ‘We all know how to deal with SKU proliferation and short-run work.’  

The move proved successful. Today, flexible packaging makes up half of OPM’s annual turnover.  

OPM Group didn’t just keep the recipe for success to itself. Rather, the Ellisons blazed the trail for other converters and led them down the path, speaking openly and candidly about their early stumbles in flexible packaging production.  

‘It’s a steep learning curve, but a worthwhile one,’ Chris Ellison says.  

Challenges  

The path to success wasn’t always paved with roses. The Ellisons and the OPM team certainly stumbled along the way.

‘We didn’t need to reinvent the wheel,’ Chris Ellison says. ‘We just needed to reconfigure what we already did. Yes, we needed to change some equipment on our platform. We needed to change some mindsets on our team, but it didn’t involve huge shifts in our thinking.’  

Learning about new materials was a significant challenge. The team quickly realized that in flexible packaging, what’s inside the packaging matters just as much as what’s on the outside. The team also faced early hurdles in sourcing enough material and understanding how they would behave on the press.   

‘Get used to bigger inventory,’ Chris Ellison says. ‘You’ve got to carry stock and lots of it. And it all has sell-by dates. You have to move that material, keep it fresh, keep it rotating through the business. And it behaves very differently on press.’  

‘There’s more science behind it,’ he continues. ‘It’s new technology that you must pay very careful attention to. It can make or break your packaging journey.’  

Perhaps it’s because of that challenge that the Ellisons became instrumental in encouraging suppliers to change their supply chain models to meet the burgeoning needs of narrow and mid-web flexible packaging marketing. The results of which were evident at Labelexpo’s most recent edition. 

Most of the machine manufacturers are running packaging on their presses. There’s a lot of material packaging suppliers here which weren’t here 20 years ago when we started on this journey

‘You have more suppliers here than ever,’ Chris Ellison said during the event in Barcelona. ‘Most of the machine manufacturers are running packaging on their presses. There’s a lot of material packaging suppliers here which weren’t here 26 years ago when we started on this journey.’ 

Innovations  

OPM has been at the forefront of developing mono-material structures to replace laminated barrier structures, working closely with its longtime partner and supplier, Synthogra. OPM has devoted considerable research and development resources to meet this goal.  

The company has also developed technology that advance its sustainability goals, such as mono-material products as an alternative to laminated barrier structures and a thicker label closure (TLC), a patented re-seal technology to replace rigid plastic molded lids in the wet wipe market.  

OPM has pioneered the use of AI and automation at its facility, constantly driving toward efficiency and reducing the need for manual operations in production.  

Future  

At Labelexpo Europe, part of Ellison’s ambassadorship involved sharing his journey into flexible packaging production with others who may be interested in pursuing the same path. It was a role he easily and eagerly stepped into.  

‘I think now is probably the sweetest time in the market for a narrow web converter to move into short to medium run, high-quality flexible packaging,’ Ellison said during his keynote speech at Labelexpo.  

Ellison says today’s heightened focus on sustainability has become a major driver for the flexible packaging market. Consumers are looking for packaging that reduces waste, while supporting convenience and portability are qualities that flexible formats naturally deliver. At the same time, the rapid growth of e-commerce has further accelerated demand for lightweight, durable packaging.  

‘These are the trends that give us the opportunities to conduct business in this market,’ Chris Ellison says. ‘You’re already doing it. You’re able to pivot that skillset from labels and apply it to flexible packaging.’ 

Inclusive environment  

OPM Group is an inclusive employer that actively welcomes employees from any gender, race, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, religion and educational background. The company offers a comprehensive range of training and development programs, including apprenticeships and supplier training sessions, to enhance its employees’ skills and motivation for staying with the company.  

OPM actively supports its local area through a variety of initiatives. The company proudly sponsors sports teams and players that include its own employees or their children, fostering a strong sense of camaraderie and community spirit. It also runs an annual work experience program, welcoming students from nearby schools to its Leeds-based facility. During their week-long placement, students gain hands-on insight into the world of print, an eye-opening experience that has inspired many.  

In addition, OPM offers apprenticeships in partnership with the BPIF, helping to nurture the next generation of print professionals. OPM also supports several charities through year-round fundraising and awareness campaigns, reflecting its deep-rooted values of responsibility and care.