Release Date: July 2011

The leading global tear tape manufacturer Payne celebrates its centenary this year with a day of events at its Nottinghamshire headquarters in September.

Today operating from seven countries over four continents and employing more than 250 people, Payne manufactures and delivers tear tape to over 100 countries producing each year enough tear tape to travel around the world's circumference over 700 times!

History of Innovation & Growth

The company was originally founded in Nottingham in 1911 as P.P. Payne, manufacturing cotton tapes for the local textile industry and during the First World War supplied the military with garment labels. It was this experience and knowledge in the handling and production of tapes that has set the foundation for the business as it is today.

In the 1950s Payne developed Rippatape, the first tear tape based on cotton fibres, for easy opening of boxes and sacks. From this first heavy-duty tape, Payne went on to develop a range of tear tape products for new markets over the years. These include the groundbreaking Supastrip® which brought the advantages of easy opening to a wide variety of packaged consumer goods such as biscuits, confectionery, tea and also tobacco.

By the 1990s Payne's innovative products and expanding overseas network helped establish the business as a major player in the tear tape market, particularly in the tobacco sector. This growth was supported by Payne's global footprint and investment in the latest gravure printing, coating and converting lines to drive the very best in quality and products for its customers.

The tear tape business now boasts two fully integrated plants - one in Nottingham, UK, the other in Richmond, USA with an additional three converting operations in Latin America and Asia. Furthermore, Payne's design and reprographics expertise has led to further growth within the business enabling customers the opportunity to both integrates security solutions within their products and use high impact printed tear tape to promote their brands in an imaginative yet cost effective manner.

From its origins as a Nottingham based business supplying the local textile industry Payne is now the leading manufacturer of pressure sensitive tear tape worldwide, providing customers with a wide range of easy opening, brand protection and branding and communications packaging solutions.

Queen's Award for Enterprise 2011

The centenary celebrations have been further enhanced through the business being awarded the Queen's Award for Enterprise this year. This will be marked in September by a day of celebrations and the formal Grant of Appointment, by the Lord Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire, Sir Andrew Buchanan Bt, KCVO.

The award was announced in April to Payne's sister company Payne Security for its covert product authentication system. This new security technology delivers a robust and cost-effective solution to Governments and commercial concerns for protecting against fraudulent and counterfeit activity by differentiating between genuine and illicit products or documents.

Tony Edwards, Divisional Managing Director said: "We are honoured to be welcoming Sir Andrew and our other guests to our headquarters as we celebrate 100 years of innovation and business"

"It is gratifying that we are doing this in the area where the company was very first started and where we have maintained a constant presence as we look to continue to grow the business around the world."

Company Timeline & Founder

Payne is also appealing for local help to track down descendants of its founder, Percy Payne, to help mark the celebration. He started the company as P.P. Payne in Nottingham in 1911, manufacturing cotton tapes for the local textile industry and during the First World War supplied the military with garment labels.

Initial premises were in Hounds Gate, Nottingham. Within a few years, additional demand meant the company had moved to larger premises in Castle Gate. In 1929 the company moved again, to land fronting Haydn Road and in 1981 Payne moved to its current location in Giltbrook.

Tony Edwards says: “It was Percy Payne who started the company and the knowledge and innovation built up since then has enabled us to become a world leader.

“As we celebrate this landmark centenary, we would love to be able to track down any descendants of Percy Payne himself.”

If you have any information on the history of Payne or its founder Percy Payne, please contact marketing@payne-worldwide.com

Centenary Media Coverage News

Following our Centenary announcement we have received some excellent coverage in the local media including BBC East Midlands Today and you may be interested in the following link:

BBC - Nottinghamshire Manufacturer Celebrates Centenary

This coverage helped us to track down descendants of our founder, Percy Payne, who were welcomed to a presentation day in September to learn more about Payne and the business we are today.

This was featured on BBC Radio Nottingham and can be listened to on the link below.