Mpac Group completes Lambert disposal, reports 42.8% order intake rise in H1
Mpac Group has completed the sale of its Lambert business, receiving £16m of gross proceeds after the end of the first half, a move it says aligns the group around scalable, full-line packaging machinery. In half-year results for the six months to 30 June 2026, continuing-operations order intake rose 42.8% to £77.8m and the order book reached £80.5m, while underlying operating profit fell 46.8% to £4.2m on competitive pricing pressure and net debt eased to £43.5m by the end of August following the disposal proceeds.
Why this mattersThe disposal sharpens Mpac's focus on core packaging machinery while easing leverage, but shrinking margins signal persistent pricing pressure across its original-equipment business.
- Mpac sold its Lambert business on 24 July 2026, receiving £16m gross proceeds after the half-year period end
- H1 2026 order intake rose 42.8% to £77.8m from £54.5m in H1 2025
- Order book stood at £80.5m at 30 June 2026 versus £76.2m a year earlier, and £82.5m currently, up 2.5%
- Revenue from continuing operations was £71.0m in H1 2026 against £72.7m in H1 2025
- Underlying operating profit fell 46.8% to £4.2m; the statutory loss before tax narrowed to £0.5m from £8.8m
- Net debt was £54.0m at 30 June before the £16m Lambert proceeds, falling to £43.5m by the end of August 2026
- Mpac terminated the lease on its Cleveland, Ohio facility, avoiding GBP 1.0m in remaining obligations