Shiraz Tejani’s LPC Group, which was taken over in July 2010, is the UK’s largest manufacturer of tissue-based products. The company was sold to Italian rival the Sofidel Group in a deal which created Europe’s second largest tissue producer and was worth a reported £120 million.
The LPC Group has been rebranded as Sofidel UK and has a turnover approaching £250 million. The sale has opened up new markets across Europe for the UK factories.
Sofidel is headquartered in Lucca, Italy, and has 17 manufacturing operations in eight countries across Europe.
It employs 3,200 people and makes more than 700,000 tons of tissue a year.
The Tejanis originate from Uganda where they ran a successful coffee business before being forced to flee Idi Amin’s regime.
Shiraz Tejani, aged 64, set up the LPC group in Leicester with his brothers in 1980, originally to supply local shops with tissues and paper products. At the time of its takeover it employed around 1,200 people.
Sofidel UK operates from purpose built factories in Leicester with over a million square feet. Kilbagie Recycled Fibres, acquired by LPC in 2002, is a paper recycling plant based in Scotland.
A factory in Redditch, produces disposable hygiene products, while Swedish Tissue has its mill in Kisa.
Sofidel UK’s £40 million UK factory turns out 600 million toilet rolls and kitchen rolls a year.
The company is making substantial inroads into the European and Scandinavian markets and is looking to expand into Spain. The factories turn out toilet rolls, kitchen rolls, disposable nappies and face tissues, as well as paper recycling.
The Tejani family also has property and pharmaceutical interests which add to the wealth generated by the paper business.
