Versapak was founded by Ian Anderson in 1973 with a vision: to develop a simple, reusable and secure mailing pouch that would be used to move money and documents. 50 years later, the company wants to show its appreciation and gratitude for its staff.
The staff event will take place at Italian restaurant Stuzzichini in Bexleyheath, Kent – two doors away from the building which housed the company’s first factory in 1974.
Delighted to be attending the event is Anita Barilone, Versapak’s longest serving member of staff. Joining in 1978, Anita is the perfect example of the hard work and loyalty which has helped the company reach its current heights.
The business began with Ian and his wife Anne using sewing machines at home, before upgrading to a small office above a restaurant in Kent as demand increased. In 2001, a larger manufacturing facility in Europe was purchased, allowing an expanded product range. Trusted by many high-profile clients, Versapak has built a customer base including the NHS, Royal Mail and RBS. The business prides itself on delivering first class customer service where loyalty is the number one goal. Versapak always puts their customer at the centre of what they do, providing the best quality and most fit-for-purpose products.
In particular, Versapak began working with the NHS in 1999 by manufacturing medical bags and has continued to supply products and transformative solutions for various NHS security, storage and transport needs. In June 2022, the team provided urgent cytotoxic carriers to transport cancer drugs by drone to St Mary’s Hospital in the Isle of Wight – a vital life-saving service that only took 30 minutes compared to three-to-four hours via ferry or taxi.
The company’s sustainability efforts have also earned certification by the likes of Planet Mark and The Eden Project. Its sewn carriers and pouches can be reused over 2,000 times, while its patented locking mechanism security seals are 100% recyclable. Additionally, surplus material is used to make pencil cases for underprivileged children and end-of-life bags are donated to charity or used to make groundsheets for homeless people.
In 2014, Versapak was proud to be awarded a Royal Warrant by Appointment to Her Majesty the Queen – the highest royal accolade available to companies – due to their work supplying cash bags, mail pouches and security seals to Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, St James’ Palace and the Palace of Holyroodhouse. Furthermore, in 2020, Versapak became a member of Made in Britain.
Versapak will be offering 50% off its button seal – the company’s first ever security seal – throughout the month of April.
Ian Anderson, founder and chairman of www.versapak.co.uk, commented: “My wife and I started the company in 1973 and, quite quickly, we built a reputation for making secure, durable and cost-effective products alongside having extraordinary customer loyalty. We like to think that our achievements so far are a true testament to our dependability and consistently excellent service and I would like to thank every single customer and employee that has journeyed with us thus far. “Versapak firmly believes a company is only as good as its employees and quite literally recognises them as the heartbeat of the company. We promise to always create an environment that attracts loyal and happy staff and we are committed to putting employee welfare first. Without the employees who embody the mission of Versapak, and who go above and beyond their call of duty every day, Versapak would not be where it is today.”
