James Cropper Paper & Packaging appoints industry veteran Andrew Cockerill to lead expansion into corrugated and speciality markets.
James Cropper Paper & Packaging has announced the appointment of Andrew Cockerill as Business Development Manager. The hire comes as the Cumbrian-based papermaker seeks to accelerate its growth within the corrugated and speciality paper sectors, balancing its heritage in premium innovation with a push for more scalable, high-volume applications.
Cockerill brings 27 years of industry experience to the role, spanning technical engineering, polymer chemistry, and material science. His career began as an engineering apprentice at RPC Group Limited, before he transitioned into senior commercial and technical sales positions. He has previously held influential roles at DS Smith, Corrboard UK, Cartonneries Gondardennes, and Winfibre UK, where he managed multi-million-pound portfolios across the UK and Europe.
In his new position, Cockerill will focus on developing James Cropper’s corrugated offering, working alongside sales and technical teams to ensure product consistency and performance for long-term customer partnerships.
Andrew Cockerill, Business Development Manager at James Cropper, commented, “James Cropper has a reputation that genuinely stands apart. Not just for the quality of its paper, but for the depth of expertise behind it. Joining at a time when the business is investing, evolving, and sharpening its focus across different markets made it a very easy decision. It’s a great opportunity to be part of a business that can operate at both ends of the spectrum — delivering premium, highly specialised solutions while also supporting more scalable, high-volume applications.”
The appointment reflects James Cropper’s strategic objective to combine deep technical expertise with commercial clarity. By bridging the gap between specialist craftsmanship and high-volume production, the business aims to remain competitive in an evolving global packaging market.
Paul Barber, Managing Director at James Cropper, added, “We are delighted to welcome Andrew to James Cropper. He brings a rare combination of technical depth and commercial instinct, underpinned by decades of experience across the corrugated and wider packaging sectors. As we continue to balance premium innovation with scalable production, Andrew’s perspective will be instrumental in helping us grow in a way that is both sustainable and commercially robust.”
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