rivers2cross

Today marks the end of another working year, as May 31st is the financial year end for John Darvell Packaging Ltd, which was formed by my dad back in 1976. I’m a bit of a Goodbye Mr Chips figure as I joined the business straight from school and have remained ever since.

The family business has had ups and downs. The most successful period was during its first 10 years when dad had all the security bag business with Securicor, and this was the pre-digital era when there was enormous amount of cash in circulation. Dad also made a small sample run of special bags by hand on the work bench for a company in Thatcham, who had been unable to get them anywhere else. It turned out to be bags for the very first prototype mobile phones made by Panasonic. A year or so later we were delivering up to 500,000 bags a month to them.

Of course all good things come to an end, and replacing such accounts has never been easy if actually possible. The manufacturing decline has had a massive impact on the business as has the internet. We now find ourselves competing against the big boys and it’s very challenging. By the way when I say we, I mean me really, as for the most part it’s been just me on my own since Dad died in 2009.

In 2000, we were very close to going out of business. High rent and rates in Maidenhead and a decline in business hit us hard. A combination of moving to Medmenham, where we still are now, and my brother being subbed out for courier driving and ultimately going on to do his overseas driving, saved the business. Thankfully Dad lived to see the business turn a corner and all his hard work paid off.

This year has been, like for so many small businesses, extremely difficult with the effects of the pandemic, post Brexit issues, and now relentless and sharp price increases. There was a time when this would have made me very anxious, but perhaps because it has become the normal, I have a mind set of what will be will be. I haven’t been able to draw a full salary on a regular basis for two years now, but the company doesn’t owe anyone anything and if things do go pear-shaped I can close the doors out of my own volition if I choose to. My aim is to keep going for as long as it remains viable to do so.

Anyway this year will see the business turn in a small profit according to my figures, which is incredibly pleasing in the current economic climate and we live to fight another year. I can’t guarantee that the business will still be here this time next year, but with the 50th anniversary in 2026 just 4 years away, I hope it can make it until then. We shall see x