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Mpac Group plc

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FY2018 Annual Report · Mpac Group plc
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 Building on  
strong foundations

Annual Report and Accounts 2018

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Making an iMpacT
Mpac Group plc is an international company, 
listed on the London Stock Exchange 
(symbol: MPAC), with a long and proud 
history of delivering innovation and 
excellence on a global basis. The business is 
focused on creating high speed production 
lines that package the products that millions 
of people worldwide depend on.

Find out more online
mpac-group.com

01

Contents

02  Our business at a glance
04  Chairman’s introduction
05  Operating review
10  Going for growth
14   Business model and strategy
17   Financial review
20   Principal risks and uncertainties

22   Chairman’s Corporate 
Governance statement

24   Board of Directors
25   Corporate Governance report 
29   Audit Committee report
32   Remuneration and Nomination 

Committee report

34   Annual Remuneration report
36   Remuneration policy
41   Directors’ report
44    Statement of directors’ 

responsibilities

45   Independent Auditor’s report
54   Consolidated income statement
55    Statements of comprehensive income
56   Statements of changes in equity
58   Statements of financial position
59   Statements of cash flow
60   Accounting policies
67   Notes to the accounts
99   Five year record
100  Principal divisions and subsidiaries
101  Notice of Annual General Meeting
108  Corporate information

Highlights

Order Intake

Sales2

£63.8m

£58.3m

(2017: £61.1m)

(2017: £53.4m)

Underlying earnings per share1

Net cash

4.5p

(2017: 4.2p per share)

£27.0m

(2017: £29.4m)

 »  Continued progress on the Group’s strategic initiatives

 »  Increase in order intake of 4% and a closing order book 16%  

higher than at the start of 2018

 » Sales growth of 9% to £58.3m (2017: £53.4m)

 » Underlying profit before tax of £1.4m (2017: £1.1m)

 » Non-underlying GMP equalisation charge of £7.3m (2017: nil)

 »  Statutory loss before tax from continuing activities of £7.4m 

(2017: profit £4.3m)

 » Underlying earnings per share of 4.5p (2017: earnings of 4.2p)

 »  Basic loss per share from continuing activities of 30.1p 

(2017: earnings of 12.2p)

 » Net cash of £27.0m (2017: £29.4m) 

 »  The Board has decided not to recommend payment of 

a final dividend

Notes
1 

 From continuing operations and adjusted to exclude non-underlying items as disclosed in 
note 5 to the financial statements.

2  From continuing operations.

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018

FINANCIAL STATEMENTSCORPORATE GOVERNANCESTRATEGIC REPORT02

Our business at a glance

One Mpac

Our markets

Healthcare
Supporting healthcare industries  
as diverse as contact lenses, facial 
tissues and dentifrice. Mpac supplies 
innovative first-of-a-kind machinery  
as well as standard packing and 
testing equipment.

Pharmaceutical
To meet our customers’ diverse and 
specialised demands, Mpac offers a 
first-of-a-kind service for novel dosing 
and packaging. Process assurance via 
standard and custom test equipment  
is available.

  Read more P14

  Read more P14

Mpac Group plc, following  
our strategic review is now 
entirely focused on the 
growth of its Packaging 
Machinery business.

The Group leverages its 
engineering expertise with 
cutting-edge manufacturing 
technologies and proven 
machinery designs, and 
supports its customers  
with world class services, 
delivered locally.

Packaging Machinery
Mpac serves customer needs for 
Ingenious, Innovative Packaging 
Machinery encompassing, Make, 
Pack, Monitor and Service. We design, 
precision engineer and manufacture high 
speed packaging solutions, first-of-a-
kind machinery and high specification 
automation, secondary packaging 
equipment and end-of-line robotics  
with integrated testing solutions.  
In addition, we provide complete  
turnkey solutions including the design 
and integration of packaging systems.

£32.5m£5.6m£7.1m£13.1m£58.3mTotal salesMpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 201803

Where we operate

The Group serves its customers through its wide geographic spread of sales, 
service and manufacturing locations.

We support our international customer base through shared resources  
and infrastructure.

Americas
Established for more than 50 years in the region, the Group operates from  
its facilities in Ontario, Canada.

Europe, Middle East & Africa 
The Group supports both its multinational and regional customers from its  
sites in the UK and the Netherlands; together with extensive sales, engineering  
and field support services deployed across the region.

Asia Pacific
The Group supports the region from its principal base in Singapore as well  
as through its field service engineers and agents across Asia Pacific.

Food and beverage
Providing innovative solutions for 
secondary and end-of-line packaging. 
Cartoning and case packing of bags, 
stick packs, pouches, flow wrapped 
products, bottles and more to our  
customers’ requirements

  Read more P14

Sales by market (£m)

  Healthcare

  Pharmaceutical

  Food and Beverage

  Other

Sales by region (£m)

  America

  Europe, Middle East & Africa

  Asia Pacific

£24.7m£6.7m£26.9mMpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018FINANCIAL STATEMENTSCORPORATE GOVERNANCESTRATEGIC REPORT04

Chairman’s introduction

Andrew Kitchingman
Chairman

Two years ago, the Board appointed a 
new Chief Executive Officer, Tony Steels, 
who initiated a strategic review of the 
business. The output of this review was a 
clearly defined set of strategic objectives 
aimed at transforming the performance 
of the Group over a five-year period.

revenues of £58.3m increased by 9% 
(2017: £53.4m) while underlying operating 
profit was in line with revised market 
expectations at £1.4m (2017: £1.3m). 
Financial performance in the second half 
of 2018 was significantly improved 
compared with a challenging first half.

Two years into this period, I am pleased 
to be able to report that further good 
progress has been made against these 
strategic objectives. Our strategy to 
focus on high growth Pharmaceutical, 
Healthcare and Food and Beverage 
sectors has been enhanced following 
the successful completion of several 
technology and product developments 
during the year and significant progress 
has been made to improve operational 
efficiency and productivity.

On pages 25 to 28 I discuss corporate 
governance and the Board’s activities 
during the year.

Summary of results
Order intake for the Group of £63.8m 
(2017: £61.1m) was 4% above the prior 
year’s, with a significant proportion of 
order intake generated by new product 
developments. Group continuing 

Group cash ended the year at £27.0m 
(2017: £29.4m).

Board changes
I would like to welcome Will Wilkins and 
Doug Robertson to the Board.

Will joined the Board in June 2018 as 
Group Finance Director, having spent six 
years working within the Group in both 
senior finance and operational roles. 
Previously Will has held senior finance 
positions at BSH Home Appliances Ltd 
and Booker Plc. 

Doug joined the Board in November 2018 
as non-executive director and as 
Chairman of the Audit Committee, having 
previously been Group Finance Director 
of SIG plc, Umeco plc and Seton House 
Group Limited. He spent his early career 
with Williams plc in a variety of senior 
financial and business roles.

I would also like to take this opportunity 
to thank Phil Moorhouse, who left the 
Board in April 2018, for the service he 
provided to the Group since joining in 
March 2011.

Dividend
Having considered the trading results 
for 2018, together with the opportunities 
for investment in the growth of the 
Group, the Board has decided that it 
is appropriate not to pay a final dividend. 
No interim dividend was paid in 2018. 
Future dividend payments and the 
development of a new dividend policy will 
be considered by the Board in the context 
of 2019 trading performance and when 
the Board believes it is prudent to do so.

Outlook
I consider that the prospects for the 
Group over the short and medium term 
are positive, as the sales and profit 
growth initiatives put in place by the 
leadership team continue to develop, 
and I look forward to reporting on the 
progress that will be made during 2019.

Andrew Kitchingman
Chairman
4 March 2019

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018Operating review

Tony Steels 
Chief Executive

05

I am pleased to present my report as 
Chief Executive of Mpac Group plc. In 
the past year we have continued to make 
sound progress with our strategic plans 
and have delivered top line growth, an 
improved financial performance and 
an increased order book. We faced a 
challenging first half of the year with 
slower than anticipated order intake and 
two legacy contract issues, which the 
management took swift action to resolve 
and we are now confident we are back 
on track to achieve our strategic aims. 
Importantly, we have put in place the 
foundations to support a higher 
level of performance. 

This past year, we deployed the One 
Mpac business model across the 
organisation, we established a number 
of significant customer relationships and 
we continued developing repeat business 
with new and long-term customers.

I am pleased about what has been 
accomplished, and I am confident 
that we are on the right track.

Whilst continuing to devote time to 
visiting our facilities and our customers 
around the world, this year I have spent 

more time focussing on developing 
the Group’s innovation and technology 
roadmap and increasing the bandwidth 
of the development team to ensure that 
Mpac continues to offer our customers 
innovative and future proof solutions.

The Group launched several 
significant new development projects 
to the market during 2018 all of which 
have been extremely well received and 
commercially successful. In addition, 
further major development projects 
have commenced which are forecast 
to be completed in 2019. 

We believe we are well positioned to drive 
above-market growth well into the future.

Mpac serves customer needs for 
ingenious, innovative packaging 
machinery encompassing, Make, 
Pack, Monitor and Service. We design, 
precision engineer and manufacture 
high speed packaging solutions, first-of-
a-kind machinery and high specification 
automation, secondary packaging 
equipment and end-of-line robotics with 
integrated testing solutions. In addition, 
we provide complete turnkey solutions 

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018FINANCIAL STATEMENTSCORPORATE GOVERNANCESTRATEGIC REPORT06

Operating review continued

including the design and integration of 
packaging systems.

Mpac’s fundamental strengths include:

 » Sound long-term growth drivers in our 

target markets;

 » Track record in delivering innovative 

solutions for our customers;
 » Global commercial and services 
presence providing exceptional 
service to our customers; and
 » An engaged, focussed and highly 

talented workforce.

Trading
The trading performance for the Group 
in 2018 was mixed. Overall order intake 
for the Group grew by 4% to £63.8m, 
with a significant increase in order intake 
growth in the second half of 2018. 

Group revenues of £58.3m represent an 
increase of 9% compared to the previous 
year. Original equipment revenue grew by 
14% to £46.2m, supported by strong 

growth in the Food and Beverage 
sector. Services revenue fell by 7% 
to £12.1m as a result of key services 
resource being dedicated to fulfilling 
machine installation, especially in the 
first half of 2018. 

We were required to downgrade our 2018 
profit expectations in July 2018, largely 
due to the cost overruns on two legacy 
contracts. We are pleased to report that 
underlying profit before tax was in line 
with these revised market expectations 
at £1.4m, an increase of £0.3m. 

Group net cash ended the year at £27.0m 
compared to £29.4m in 2017, providing 
the Group with sufficient funds to invest 
in the strategic initiatives to deliver 
profitable growth in future years.

Moving forward, the Group entered 
2019 with an order book of £39.8m, 
an increase of 16% over the December 
2017 closing position of £34.4m. As 
we announced in our half year 2018 
statement, we secured orders of 

significant value for delivery in 2019 
and these customer orders represent 
a significant proportion of the 2018 
closing order book.

Strategic developments
Further significant progress has been 
made during 2018 in delivering upon the 
five-year strategic plan launched in 2017.

I believe that due to these strategic 
initiatives, the business was able to 
deliver order intake, revenue and 
underlying profitability growth above 
previous years and to close 2018 with 
a significantly larger closing order book 
to provide confidence that the recent 
trajectory will continue into 2019. 

Restructuring
During the year the Group took 
the opportunity to initiate a limited 
restructuring, mainly focussed upon 
right sizing the Group administration 
cost base. 

2%

12%

20%

45%

23%

Revenue by geography

  North America

  Europe

  UK

  Asia Pacific

  Rest of the World

Food and beverage market sales

+15%

(2018: £32.5m)

07

Service
Order intake for the Service division in 
2018 of £11.9m was 9% below 2017. 
Revenue in 2018 of £12.1m was 7% below 
2017. However, during 2018 the Group was 
successful in finding candidates to fill all 
vacant management positions across the 
regions and in expanding the number of 
field service fee generating technicians, 
which will give added momentum to the 
sales projected in 2019. The impact on the 
trading performance and order pipelines 
for the Service division of this new team 
was notable in the final months of 2018.

Americas revenue in the year was 
£6.4m compared with £6.8m in 2017. 
EMEA revenue in the year was £4.6m, 
unchanged compared with 2017. Order 
intake in the period was broadly in line 
with sales. Asia sales in the year fell by 
£0.5m to £1.1m. 

The overall Service margin remained 
broadly unchanged compared with 2017.

Revenue growth

9%

(2018: £58.3m; 2017: £53.4m)

Order intake

£63.8m

(+4% on 2017)

Acquisition strategy 
The Board continues to evaluate 
potential acquisition opportunities, 
the focus of which is to find businesses 
that will enhance our presence 
in packaging solutions in the 
Pharmaceutical, Healthcare, Food 
and Beverage markets and add 
value to the Group.

Moving forward
Looking ahead, progress made towards 
achieving the three strategic priorities, 
Going for Growth, Make Service a 
Business and Operational Efficiency, 
is highlighted in the Strategy Update. 

Business review
The Group aims to achieve double 
digit percentage revenue growth 
over the medium term, culminating in 
delivering an improved Return on Sales, 
targeted at 10%. To support this intent, 
we manage the business in two parts, 
Original Equipment (OE) and Service and 
across three regions, Americas, EMEA 
and Asia.

Individual contracts received by the 
OE business, and to a lesser extent 
the service business, can be large. 
Accordingly, one significant order can 
have a disproportionate impact on the 
growth rates seen in individual markets 
from year to year.

Sales by region were, Americas £26.9m 
(2017: £23.2m), EMEA £24.7m (2017: 
£20.4m) and Asia £6.7m (2017: £9.8m).

Sales by sector were Food & Beverage 
£32.5m (2017: £28.1m), Healthcare £20.2m 
(2017: £17.8m) and Pharmaceuticals £5.6m 
(2017: £7.4m).

Original Equipment (OE)
Overall, the OE division generated a 
14% year on year increase in revenue to 
£46.2m. Order intake in the OE business 
of £52.0m was £4.0m and 8% ahead of 
2017. In the Americas there was a 75% 
increase in order intake, driven mainly 
by growth in our main Healthcare market 
and the significant investment plans by 
a new customer during the second half 
of 2018. 

EMEA made considerable progress 
across most markets with packaging 
solutions, however this progress was 
offset by slow order intake for our 
‘first-of-a-kind’ solutions in the region, 
resulting in the order intake for EMEA 
falling by £8m and 37% compared with 
2017. There was also slowdown in order 
intake in the Asian region, driven mainly 
by sluggish demand in China which 
reduced order intake by £1.7m, down 
25% compared with 2017.

A strong performance in sales to the 
Food and Beverage market contributed 
to Americas OE revenue in the period 
increasing to £20.5m from £16.4m 
in 2017. 

EMEA sales in the period were 
£20.1m compared with £15.8m in 
2017. The 2017 order intake included 
the investment plans of a major customer 
in the Pharmaceutical market which were 
directed towards Europe, resulting in 
revenue growth in 2018. Further, the 
closing order book in 2017 was heavily 
weighted towards projects for the EMEA 
region and consequently revenue growth 
was achieved despite lower OE order 
intake growth in the region. The closing 
order book in 2018 was weighted towards 
the Americas region.

Asia sales, predominantly driven by the 
Food and Beverage market, reduced to 
£5.6m compared to £8.2m in 2017.

Gross profit margins in the OE business 
reduced to 20.1% compared with 22.8% 
in 2017, with the reduction due mainly 
to the costs associated with two legacy 
contracts. The UK legacy contract has 
been resolved and we have agreed the 
commercial and technical approach to 
resolving the Canadian contract which 
is expected to be finalised during 2019

Overall order prospects remain strong 
and activity levels across the OE business 
remain high, such that the business is well 
positioned moving into 2019. 

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018FINANCIAL STATEMENTSCORPORATE GOVERNANCESTRATEGIC REPORT08

Operating review continued

Strategy Update
Our strategic review identified three 
key initiatives to drive growth:

Outlook
The global marketplace is experiencing 
rising labour costs, a constant drive 
towards improved quality and continual 
time-to-market imperatives. These 
factors all play well with the value that 
Mpac delivers. Through the One Mpac 
business model and a rich history of 
innovative packaging machinery 
solutions, we are in an enviable position 
to serve our customers with efficient, 
reliable solutions.

Execution of the strategy has made 
significant progress and we continue 
to focus on the growth markets in which 
the Group currently operates, in the 
Pharmaceutical, Healthcare and Food 
and Beverage sectors. The Group has both 
the financial and managerial resources 
available to develop the business, with the 
prime focus being on organic growth. This 
will be delivered through the leveraging 
of its global position, development of 
its products and an improved services 
offering to its customers. We continue 
to evaluate potential complementary 
acquisition opportunities.

The Group entered 2019 with a stronger 
order book than the year before and with 
a broader, updated product portfolio 
following the commercialisation of 
several innovation projects. 2019 has 
started well with order intake for the first 
two months ahead of the same period 
last year. With this foundation and a 
strong operational and management 
team, the future prospects 
remain positive. 

Going for Growth 
Offering customers comprehensive 
“Make, Pack, Monitor, Service” 
solutions in our target markets. 

Make Service 
a  Business
Providing customers with a 
comprehensive portfolio of Service 
products to ensure they maximise 
their return on investment.

Operational 
Efficiency
Operational excellence and 
flexibility of supply chain to 
increase responsiveness 
to investment cycles.

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018Going for Growth
Our plans were launched in 2017 as part 
of the five-year strategic plan to develop 
the business through organic growth in 
our target markets of Pharmaceutical, 
Healthcare and Food and Beverage. To 
enable this, we created a global sales 
approach under our single entity model, 
One Mpac, offering innovative packaging 
machinery solutions from our extensive 
portfolio of engineered modules.

The sale of the Instrumentation and 
Tobacco Machinery division in 2017 
provided the Group with additional 
liquidity to finance the delivery of our 
technology and innovation roadmap 
which will accelerate progress in 
achieving our strategic aims with 
the entire focus of the continuing 
business being the growth markets 
of Pharmaceutical, Healthcare and 
Food and Beverage.

The order book, order intake and 
revenues were all increased in 2018, 
continuing the growth profile. The 
commercial excellence programme 
deployment continues with new 
members of our sales team and further 
development of strategic selling to key 
accounts was delivered during 2018. 
Our global reach supported by the 
new branding and focused business 
approach enabled us to acquire a 
significant number of new customer 
relationships in our target markets.

branding. These new innovations were a 
significant success factor in developing 
new business, with customers appreciating 
the improved performance together with 
the Industry 4.0 enabled technology.

Make Service a Business
The new Service business operational 
leadership team was formed during the 
year, establishing the necessary skills 
and mindset to generate a best in class 
service offering to our customers. 
The on-boarding of the new team and 
structure was completed during the 
second half of 2018.

Our customers have an extensive 
globally installed base which they 
expect to run continuously at high levels 
of overall equipment effectiveness. 
The trends towards Industry 4.0 and 
its enabling technological platforms 
support our strategy to work with our 
customers to ensure they maximise their 
return on investment throughout the 
life-cycle of the equipment. We can offer 
comprehensive service programmes to 
maximise uptime and minimise cost of 
production through our global 
service business.

The focus for the coming year will be to 
ensure that the newly formed Service 
business team work closely with every 
customer to understand their needs and 
to tailor contracted service programme 
agreements aimed at customer 
productivity improvements.

We will continue our commercial 
excellence programme with further 
training modules aimed at increasing 
our win ratio and expanding our customer 
base through our geographic reach.

Excellence in Service will also be an 
initiative focused on quick response 
and high spare part availability for our 
global customers.

Cross selling of the existing product 
and service offering to new and existing 
customers is a clear target, ensuring we 
better understand their evolving needs 
and extend our customer proposition 
with a broader solution approach.

Innovation is key to long term 
sustainable growth and during the year 
we launched several new products at the 
major industry exhibition in Chicago, 
where we also showcased the new Mpac 

Service business growth will be 
supported by new product launches 
during the year enabling customers to 
optimise their production processes and 
improve product quality through greater 
equipment connectivity, data extraction 
and interpretation. 

09

Operational Efficiency
Our stated aim continues to be a 
customer focused, responsive and 
flexible Group achieved through 
organisational excellence, underpinned 
by a global supply chain and supported 
by a single business model, One Mpac.

The Mississauga based business 
successfully moved to a new facility 
at the start of the year and has now 
established an impressive customer 
orientated facility to showcase new 
innovations whilst customers participate 
in new project discussions and packaging 
machinery acceptance testing. 

A key focus during 2018 was to establish 
the global supply chain partnerships with 
key organisations that support our global 
manufacturing footprint. Significant 
progress has been made to migrate our 
global engineering teams onto common 
systems and solutions to further enhance 
our operational flexibility and efficiency. 
A common project management platform 
has also been implemented which 
enables more effective management 
of our portfolio of projects.

The final part of this solution is the 
implementation of common business 
systems (ERP), with the project launch 
in early 2019. 

Mpac business model “One Mpac”
We have operations around the world 
and industry-leading technologies. 
None of that is possible, of course, 
without the intelligence and commitment 
of our people. Having a highly skilled, 
technical workforce in place – and 
ensuring everyone can contribute at his 
or her highest level and grow in his or her 
position over the long term – enables us 
to win as a team. Through One Mpac, we 
are developing leaders, while engaging 
and empowering our global workforce. 
With strong leaders and engaged 
people, we strengthen the organisation 
and create value for our customers 
and shareholders.

Tony Steels 
Chief Executive

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018FINANCIAL STATEMENTSCORPORATE GOVERNANCESTRATEGIC REPORT10

Going for growth 

Product 
innovation

An innovation and technology 
roadmap to support our strategy
Mpac has a proud history as a leader of 
packaging machinery technology and 
product development. Our strategic review in 
2017 identified three key strategic initiatives 
with our innovation and technology roadmap 
being key to delivering on the goals of our 
strategy. Our innovation team is globally 
located with an impressive track record of 
new products based on industry renowned 
engineering and development capabilities.

Our Innovation team provide dedicated 
resource to execute and deliver our new 
product development roadmap in addition 
to supporting our customers to meet their 
specific innovation needs.

Investment in innovation and development 
increased significantly in 2018 and will 
continue as we strive to bring real competitive 
advantage to our customers.

Read more about our 
strategy on p14

Product development costs capitalised

£0.3m

(2017: £0.1m)

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018Cartoner 4

11

Cartoner 4
Our development platform for the 
future of cartoning, incorporating 
infinitely flexible product combinations, 
collaborative robotics and live data 
analytics to pick, pack and place.

Orders for 2018 
product launches

£24.1m

As part of our innovation strategy to 
ensure our customers benefit from the 
paradigm shifts in performance offered 
by Industry 4.0, we are integrating our 
advanced HMI into all our machines. To 
exceed our customers’ expectations of 
what Industry 4.0 can offer, the new 
platform provides the ability to unlock 
the potential of the vast amount of 
data generated by the machine during 
production. This information can then 
be tailored to suit the customers’ specific 
needs. The resulting benefits include 
increased machine uptime and enhanced 
operator usability. 2019 will see these 
exciting product advances developed 
further and accompanied by fresh 
innovations already in the pipeline.

2018 innovation highlights
New products launched during 
2018 include:

 » SOLANO top-load case packer

 – our most successful commercial 
product launch, the SOLANO 
enhances our product portfolio as 
a full solutions provider
 » MAESTRO-i indexing cartoner
 – future proofing our indexing 

cartoner solutions, offering our 
customers flexible packaging 
solutions capable of handling 
multiple SKU’s from a standard 
single machine

 » VENTO-i high speed cartoner

 – Based upon the unique high speed 
VENTO, the VENTO-i offers small 
footprint, hygienic features, great 
accessibility and flexibility 

 » Human Machine Interface

 – Providing customers with a 

common technology platform 
to optimise efficiency 
and productivity 

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018FINANCIAL STATEMENTSCORPORATE GOVERNANCESTRATEGIC REPORTSolano

HMI

(touch screen controls)

12

Going for growth continued

Human machine interface (HMI) 
Redesign drives simplicity, speed of use 
and reduced errors, whilst providing 
greater control and data collection

Forecast annual 
growth in product 
development 

35%

Creating an environment 
of innovation
Innovation is not possible without 
creating an environment that nurtures 
ideas and trust. Through a combination 
of the great ideas generated by our 
people, by being close to our customers 
and by understanding their current 
and future needs, we generate exciting 
technology innovations which fuel 
our strategic targets. 

To support the two distinct phases of 
research and development, we have 
created Centres of Excellence for primary, 
secondary and end-of-line packaging at 
our manufacturing locations. So that we 
can benefit from the synergies existing 
between the people in our business, we 
have created and implemented standard 

engineering processes and platforms 
across our innovation and engineering 
teams. Sharing knowledge, expertise 
and our people in this way enhances our 
machine build and delivery, resulting in 
operational efficiencies. We have strong 
and growing relationships with thought 
leaders and academics that alert us 
to emergent technologies and can be 
commercialised by applying our unique 
innovation strategy.

This overarching approach has led 
to the commercial success of the new 
2018 portfolio and underpins the future 
technology and product pipeline.

Packaging technology that 
is advanced, intelligent 
and sustainable
Increasingly, manufacturers need to react 
to predicted and unpredicted changes in 
both the packing process and the wider 
markets in which they operate. The 
machines they use must accommodate 
these challenges. To meet current needs 
and futureproof our customers from 
the challenges ahead, we design our 
machinery with features which allow them 
to identify efficiency and productivity 
improvements. We are investigating 
the greater use of innovative packaging 
materials to reduce the dependence on 
single-use plastics and increase the range 
of sustainable packaging machinery 
solutions for our customers. 

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018Solano

Forecast engineering 
team growth

30%

Solano
The new generation of top-load case
packer – faster, more flexible and
designed for data reporting.

To improve customers’ operations, reduce 
their costs and deliver greater product 
efficiency, internet technologies are being 
used that capture and analyse machine 
data. Extending internet connectivity 
beyond standard devices is shaping the 
future of ecommerce packaging and 
increasing the need for products to be 
packed on demand. Mpac’s approach to 
innovation means we are fully prepared 
to provide customers with solutions that 
meet this industry shift. 

Environmental and economic pressures 
necessitate flexible packaging processes, 
creating new opportunities for Mpac. 
Reduction of packaging material and 
smaller packaging sizes call for a new 
solution in the industry. Our innovation 
strategy is designed to deliver solutions 
to those challenges known to the industry, 
with the flexibility to address fresh 
challenges and disruptors when they arise. 

13

The future of packaging 
automation: Cartoner 4.0
We showcased the launch of our most 
exciting innovaton, Cartoner 4.0 prototype 
at Packexpo 2018 Chicago alongside the 
Solano and Maestro-i. This innovative, 
intelligent and uniquely flexible automated 
cartoner generated huge customer 
interest and feedback both during and 
after the show. The cartoner uses two 
collaborative robots to pick and place 
varying batch sizes and product types 
without the need for adjustment. This 
solution, seamlessly processing a variety 
of products, is perfectly suited to cope 
with the changing face of e-commerce 
warehouse distribution. 

As leaders in packaging automation 
innovation, with a supportive environment 
for new product development, we can 
imagine and create solutions like Cartoner 
4.0. Addressing emergent market 
challenges in this way enables us to meet 
customer needs before they even know 
they exist.

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018FINANCIAL STATEMENTSCORPORATE GOVERNANCESTRATEGIC REPORT14

Business model and strategy

Our mission

To be a global leader of high speed packaging 
solutions focused on attractive growth 
markets enhanced by a world class service 
offer programme to ensure maximum return 
on customer investments;

The extensive product range of 
process and packaging machinery 
solutions supports the whole Make, 
Pack, Monitor, Service cycle. This 
encompasses primary packaging, 
secondary packaging, instrumentation 
and servicing of equipment. Our Mpac 
Langen brands have solutions focused 
on the Pharmaceutical, Healthcare 
and Food and Beverage sectors. Our 
business offers a concept feasibility 
service to customers, which is 
key in establishing a development 
partnership with the customer at the 
onset of a new innovation in product 
processing and packaging. This can 
be leveraged across our global key 
account customers to ensure Mpac 
is in pole position to partner on 
new projects.

The innovative high speed packaging 
solutions available within the Group 
support the customer need for a 
full solution provider and the Group 
has the necessary platforms, with 
the new product introductions in the 
previous year, to support the increased 
market demand for data capture and 
product traceability throughout the 
production process.

Our markets

Market opportunity

Packaging machinery solutions is a 
very broad sector and our accessible 
markets, Pharmaceutical, Healthcare, 
Food and Beverage are growing at 
around 5% per annum, driven by 
macroeconomic factors such as 
urbanisation, convenience and 
health awareness.

Mpac has an excellent portfolio of 
global FMCG customers, together with 
large regional players in accessible and 
attractive growth markets. In addition, 
we have a large installed base, and with 
customers demanding ever increasing 
operating equipment efficiencies, we 
believe there exists a real opportunity 
to develop a contractual based service 
support model that would add 
incremental revenues to Mpac. 

Growth rates for packaged 
products vary significantly by region, 
depending on their phase of economic 
development. Asia, South America 
and Africa are each forecast to 
grow between 3 to 5% per annum in 
packaging, driven by urbanisation and 
convenience, whereas in Europe and 
North America, where populations are 
more stable, growth is forecast to be 
driven by premiumisation and health 
awareness. Mpac has an embedded 
global footprint and is therefore well 
positioned to exploit the opportunities 
that market growth brings.

Sustainability through the introduction 
of recyclable packaging materials will 
become another market opportunity 
in the future as development of new 
materials are progressively introduced 
into the industry. Changes to packaging 
material properties will necessitate 
upgrades or changes to packaging 
machinery equipment to maintain 
high performance.

Healthcare 
Supporting healthcare Industries 
as diverse as contact lenses, 
facial tissues and dentifrice. 
Mpac supplies innovative 
first-of-a-kind machinery as 
well as standard packing and 
testing equipment.

Pharmaceutical 
To meet our customers’ diverse 
and specialised demands, Mpac 
offers a first-of-a-kind service 
for novel dosing and packaging. 
Process assurance via standard 
and custom test equipment  
is available.

Food and beverage 
Providing innovative solutions 
for secondary and end-of-line 
packaging. Cartoning and case 
packing of bags, stick packs, 
pouches, flow wrapped products, 
bottles and more to our 
customers’ requirements.

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 201815

Address our customers’ unmet needs by 
leveraging market leading technology, 
innovation and application know-how.

Customer focused, responsive and 
flexible through operational excellence 
underpinned by a global competitive supply 
chain and internal activities optimised to 
maximise efficiency;

Business model

Make
Creating and enabling new  
ideas that give a competitive 
advantage and keep customers 
at the forefront of their markets.

Pack
Provider of high speed 
processing and packing 
technologies that drive 
business performance and 
long-term value.

0.0125
0.0125

Monitor
Condition monitoring 
technologies are 
incorporated into the 
solutions we provide to 
ensure product quality 
and compliance.

Service
Providing lifetime  
service and sustaining 
excellence, globally, 
quickly and efficiently.

The One Mpac business model was 
introduced in 2018 aimed at ensuring 
we deliver consistent high quality 
services to our customers globally 
and wherever they choose to locate 
a manufacturing site. 

The Group offers its customers a 
packaging solution customised to 
their requirements using a portfolio 
of proven modules augmented with  
a customer specific product package 
handling solution.

The implementation of our One Mpac 
business model is well progressed 
covering contract engineering and 
project management. During 2019 
we will focus on procurement and 
manufacturing, through to assembly, 
test and then site delivery and 
customer acceptance. Common 
processes are all monitored and 
controlled by effective project 
management. Service support is 
then provided through the life of  
the product at the customers’ sites.

The capital equipment market is 
cyclical by its nature with a high need 
for responsiveness and flexibility to 
adapt to customer demands and lead 
time needs, seizing the opportunities 
as they arise.

The group is now able to exploit 
synergies, utilising best practice 
across the sites and a shared services 
resource in order to improve the 
operational efficiencies.

This creates a model whereby we can 
increase utilisation with the ability 
to expand capacity with increased 
demand and reduce capacity in 
periods of lower demand.

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018FINANCIAL STATEMENTSCORPORATE GOVERNANCESTRATEGIC REPORT16

Business model and strategy continued

Strategic priorities

Going for 
Growth

Make 
Service 
a Business

Operational 
Efficiency

2018 progress 
 » Innovation and new 
product launches 

 » New customer acquisition 
 » Brand marketing development
 » Pipeline management

2018 progress 
 » Management team on-boarding
 » Expansion of field 
service footprint

 » Promote contractual agreements
 » Focussed operational excellence
 » Recruitment, training of 

key resources 

Future plans 
 » New customer acquisition
 » Sales coaching and 

performance management
 » New product development
 » Full and cross solution selling

Future plans 
 » Upgrade programmes
 » Promote contractual agreements
 » Life-cycle ROI proposition
 » Develop rental revenue stream 
 » Leverage installed base

2018 progress 
 » Global supply chain and 
outsourced standard 
model build

 » Progress on shared 
engineering systems

 » Common project management 

processes and systems

 » Cross business 

project collaboration

Future plans 
 » Flexible project 

engineering resourcing

 » Phased ERP launch
 » Supply chain 

management efficiency
 » KPIs to support strategy

Key opportunities

The market and customer demands 
are evolving, with a clear need for full 
solutions to their packaging requirements 
supported by a comprehensive services 
proposition to ensure maximised return on 
their investments. Demand for data capture 
and traceability throughout the product 
life-cycle is also an increasing trend.

By utilising the impressive array of innovative 
engineering solutions throughout the Mpac 
sites, supported by a focused product 
development roadmap targeted on the 
attractive growth markets, we will be well 
positioned to deliver growth beyond 
industry forecasts.

The Group offers first-of-a-kind innovative 
solutions, working with the customers’ 
product development engineers and 
marketing functions on the next generation 
of innovative products. By partnering with 
these key global customers, Mpac will be well 
positioned to support the customer from 
prototype to series production.

This capability should be leveraged across 
our global sales team and into our global key 
accounts and prospects.

In particular, Service represents a key 
opportunity based on a substantial installed 
base. A detailed review of the customers 
has been undertaken to assess the potential 
additional revenue opportunities and a 
customer focused approach to transition to 
contractual agreements aimed at improved 
equipment utilisation and therefore customer 
return on investment.

Product innovation and development is key to 
sustained growth in the large and attractive 
markets we operate in. Our current product 
development roadmap is under continued 
review to ensure it is realigned to effectively 
support customer trends in the identified 
growth markets.

Innovations to the current product range 
were launched successfully during 2018 with 
further launches planned to address short 
term needs as well as regional nuances, 
supported by a longer term roadmap to 

ensure we supplement the full solution 
objective in our target markets and address 
emerging customer demand for increased 
data capture to support maximised utilisation 
and product conformity. 

One Mpac business model with a regionally 
focused, single business entity model has 
been implemented. New sales and service 
regions have been created for the Americas, 
EMEA and Asia Pacific.

This is supported by a global service 
business, operations and shared 
services function.

Customer responsiveness and reduced lead 
times are key competitive advantages and 
as such we need to continuously improve. 
By working on a global basis, operations 
and shared services will be better able to 
increase operational efficiencies, whilst 
simultaneously creating a flexible and 
responsive manufacturing base and 
supply chain to quickly adapt to changes in 
customer demand and investment cycles.

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018Financial review

William Wilkins
Group Finance Director

17

Revenue and operating results
Group revenue in the year from 
continuing operations was £58.3m 
(2017: £53.4m). Sales in the Original 
Equipment (OE) division were £46.2m 
(2017: £40.4m) and gross profit was 
£9.3m (2017: £9.2m). Sales in the Service 
division were £12.1m (2017: £13.0m) 
and gross profit was £4.7m (2017: 
£5.3m). Underlying selling, distribution 
and administration costs were £12.6m 
(2017: £13.2m). 

The additional cost provided against 
the two legacy contracts in the year 
amounted to £1.1m.

Underlying operating profit was 
£1.4m (2017: £1.3m). Underlying profit 
after tax was £0.9m (2017: £0.8m). 
Statutory loss for the period was 
£6.0m (2017: £1.6m profit).

Non-underlying items
The non-underlying loss before tax for 
the year was £8.8m (2017: profit £3.3m). 
This comprised £7.3m (2017: nil) of past 
service costs for GMP pension scheme 
equalisation, £0.9m (2017: £0.8m) of 
administration costs relating to the 
Group’s defined benefit pension 

schemes and reorganisation and 
restructuring costs of £0.8m (2017: 
£0.7m). In 2017 a profit of £4.8m was 
realised on the sale of property in 
Canada. Financing income/expense 
on pension scheme balances is also 
considered to be a non-underlying item.

Non-underlying items merit separate 
presentation in the consolidated income 
statement to allow a better understanding 
of the Group’s financial performance, by 
facilitating comparisons with prior periods 
and assessments of trends in financial 
performance. Pension costs, restructuring 
costs and profit on disposal of surplus 
property are considered non-underlying 
items as they are not representative of the 
core trading activities of the Group and are 
not included in the underlying profit before 
tax measure reviewed by key stakeholders.

Restructuring
The Group undertook a small number 
of restructuring initiatives during the year 
to reduce overheads, with changes made 
within the UK Head Office and the 
Coventry and Mississauga sites. 

Interest and taxation
Net financing income was £0.2m (2017: 
expense £0.3m), which includes a net 
financing income of £0.2m (2017: £0.1m 
financing expense) on pension scheme 
balances. The tax charge on underlying 
profit before tax was £0.5m (2017: 
£0.3m), an underlying effective rate of 
36% (2017: 27%). The total tax credit 
on the Group’s profit before tax was 
£1.4m (2017: £1.9m tax charge).

Dividends
Having considered the trading 
results for 2018, together with the 
opportunities for investment in the 
growth of the Group, the Board has 
decided that it is appropriate not to pay 
a final dividend. No interim dividend was 
paid in 2018. Future dividend payments 
and the development of a new dividend 
policy will be considered by the Board in 
the context of 2019 trading performance 
and when the Board believes it is prudent 
to do so.

Cash, treasury and funding activities
Net cash at the end of the year was 
£27.0m (2017: £29.4m). Net cash inflow 
from continuing operations before 
reorganisation was £1.1m (2017: £5.4m 

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018FINANCIAL STATEMENTSCORPORATE GOVERNANCESTRATEGIC REPORT18

Financial review continued

outflow), after a decrease in working 
capital of £1.9m (2017: £2.7m increase) 
and defined benefit pension payments 
of £3.0m (2017: £4.9m). Reorganisation 
payments of £1.0m (2017: £0.8m) 
were made in the year. Net taxation 
payments were £1.0m (2017: £0.3m). 
Capital expenditure on property, plant 
and equipment was £1.1m (2017: £1.6m) 
and capitalised product development 
expenditure was £0.3m (2017: £0.1m). 

There were no significant changes 
during the year in the financial risks, 
principally currency risks and interest 
rate movements, to which the business 
is exposed and the Group treasury policy 
has remained unchanged. The Group 
does not trade in financial instruments 
and enters into derivatives (mainly 
forward foreign exchange contracts) 

Key performance indicators

Reconciliation of profit/(loss) before tax to underlying profit  
before tax

(Loss) / profit before tax

Defined benefit pension scheme – GMP equalisation 
past service cost 

Defined benefit pension scheme administration costs

Reorganisation costs

Profit on sale of surplus property

Net financing expense /(income) on pension 
scheme balances

Underlying profit before tax

2018 
£m

(7.4)

7.3

0.9

0.8

–

(0.2)

1.4

2017 
£m

4.3

–

0.8

0.7

(4.8)

0.1

1.1

Sales1
(£m)

£58.3m

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

Underlying operating return on sales1
(%)

2.4%

 58.3

 53.4

2018

2017

 2.4%

 2.4%

 41.5

2016

 (3.1)% 

 51.5

 40.5

2015

2014

(0.3)% 

 5%

Underlying EPS1
(p)

4.5p

2018

2017

2016

(6.0) 

 1.4

 1.1

 4.5

 4.2

(0.2) 

2014

(2.1) 

 2.4

2015

 10.8

Underlying operating return on sales1
(£m)

£1.4m

2018

2017

2016

(1.5) 

2015

2014

1  From continuing operations

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 201819

if it was wound up, showed a funding level 
of 67%. Valuations are extremely sensitive 
to a number of factors outside the control 
of the Group, including discount rates. 
The level of deficit funding is currently 
£1.9m per annum, increasing by 2.1% per 
annum with an estimated recovery period 
of 14 years from 30 June 2015. In addition, 
10% of the proceeds from the sale of the 
Instrumentation and Tobacco Machinery 
division was paid into the Fund in 2017. 
Furthermore, the Company will make 
additional payments if the annual 
underlying operating profit is between 
£5.5m and £10.0m or dividend payments 
exceed payments to the Fund. The deficit 
recovery plan will be reassessed as part 
of the 30 June 2018 actuarial valuation, 
which is expected to be completed in the 
second half of 2019.

The aggregate cost of administering 
the defined benefit schemes charged 
to operating profit was £0.9m (2017: 
£0.8m). The net financing income 
in respect of the schemes was £0.2m 
(2017: expense £0.1m).

During the year the Company made 
payments to the UK defined benefit 
scheme of £1.9m (2017: £1.8m) in respect 
of the deficit recovery plan. The Company 
paid a one-off amount to the Fund of 
£0.1m (2017: £2.4m), representing 10% 
of the net proceeds in the year (after 
costs and taxation) from the sale of the 
Instrumentation & Tobacco Machinery 
division. Payments of £1.0m (2017: £0.7m) 
were made to the USA schemes in the year.

Equity
Group equity at 31 December 2018 was 
£40.6m (2017: £42.8m). The movement 
arises mainly from the net actuarial gains 
in respect of the Group’s defined benefit 
pension schemes of £5.4m, a loss for 
the period of £6.0m, and currency 
translation losses on foreign currency 
net investments of £1.6m; all figures are 
stated net of tax where applicable.

solely for the purpose of minimising 
currency exposures on sales or 
purchases in other than the functional 
currencies of its various operations.

Pension schemes
The Group is responsible for defined 
benefit pension schemes in the UK and 
the USA, in which there are no active 
members. The Company is responsible 
for the payment of a statutory levy to 
the Pension Protection Fund in relation 
to the UK fund. The quantum of this levy 
is dependent on a number of factors, 
including a specific method of calculating 
a pension deficit for this purpose and a 
credit assessment of the Company, the 
methodology for which is also specific 
for this purpose.

These schemes are accounted for in 
accordance with IAS 19 Employee 
Benefits. A formal valuation of the UK 
defined benefit pension scheme (Fund) 
was carried out as at 30 June 2015. The 
principal terms of the deficit funding 
agreement between the Company and 
the Fund’s Trustees, which is effective 
until 31 August 2029, but is subject 
to reassessment every three years 
as follows: 

 » the Company will continue to pay a 

sum of £1.9m per annum to the Fund 
(increasing at 2.1% per annum) in 
deficit recovery payments;
 » if underlying operating profit 
(operating profit before non-
underlying items) in any year is in 
excess of £5.5m, the Company will 
pay to the Fund an amount of 33% 
of the difference between the annual 
underlying operating profit and £5.5m, 
subject to a cap on underlying 
operating profit of £10.0m for the 
purpose of calculating this payment; 
this part of the agreement will fall 
away in 2021 if the funding deficit is 
above certain levels; and 

 » payments of dividends by Mpac 

Group plc will not exceed the value 
of payments being made to the Fund 
in any one year.

The IAS 19 valuation of the UK scheme’s 
assets and liabilities was undertaken as 
at 31 December 2018 and was based 
on the information used for the funding 
valuation work as at 30 June 2015, 
updated to reflect both conditions at 
the 2018 year end and the specific 
requirements of IAS 19. The smaller USA 
defined benefit schemes were valued 
as at 31 December 2018, using actuarial 
data as of 1 January 2017, updated for 
conditions existing at the year end. 
Under IAS 19 the Group has elected to 
recognise all actuarial gains and losses 
outside of the income statement. 

The IAS 19 valuation of the UK scheme 
resulted in a net surplus at the end of the 
year of £20.5m (2017: £17.6m). The value 
of the scheme’s assets at 31 December 
2018 was £398.2m (2017: £414.6m) and 
the value of the scheme’s liabilities was 
£377.7m (2017: £397.0m). The scheme’s 
assets have benefited from strong 
returns in the year which has increased 
the scheme’s surplus. 

Following a High Court ruling in October 
2018, the company has recognised 
a non-underlying charge of £7.3m in 
respect of increased future liabilities 
relating to GMP equalisation. The 
precise method to be used to equalise 
the benefits will be agreed between the 
trustee and the company in due course.

The accounting valuations of the USA 
pension schemes showed an aggregated 
net deficit of £6.2m (2017: £6.2m) with 
total assets of £16.3m (2017: £16.7m).

The UK scheme was subject to a 
formal triennial actuarial valuation as 
at 30 June 2015, which completed on 
1 August 2017. The funding valuation 
of the Group’s UK defined benefit 
scheme showed a funding level of 83% 
of liabilities, which represented a deficit 
of £70.0m (30 June 2012: £53.0m) with 
an estimated recovery period of 14 years 
from 30 June 2015. The assumptions 
underlying the assessment of the 
liabilities reflected the goal of the Trustees 
and Company to de-risk the Fund. The 
solvency position of the scheme at that 
date, which reflects the scheme’s position 

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018FINANCIAL STATEMENTSCORPORATE GOVERNANCESTRATEGIC REPORT20

Principal risks and uncertainties

The Board regularly considers the main risks that the Group faces and how to mitigate those risks. 
The principal risks and uncertainties to which the business is exposed are summarised as follows.

Risk

Economic and market cycles

Mitigation

The Group is potentially affected by global and local economic 
cycles and changes in a number of industrial sectors, including 
the Pharmaceutical, Healthcare and Food and Beverage 
industries. Such potential changes include those arising as a 
consequence of governmental activities, such as regulation 
and taxation. Additionally, the impact on the Group of the UK 
leaving the EU is uncertain.

Loss of trading partners

Customers, suppliers and Group operations are geographically 
diverse and the Group sells a range of products and services to 
a number of industries in all parts of the world.

Brexit risk is mitigated by matching the locations of customers 
and production, along with limited reliance upon the UK market.

The Group faces the general risk of trading partners, including 
both customers and suppliers, ceasing to operate; the loss of 
any such partner could have an adverse effect on the Group’s 
operating results and financial condition, including potentially 
affecting the viability of a subsidiary company. A number 
of customers operate in countries which may face a higher 
degree of political risk than others.

The Group has a diversified base of customers. In certain years 
sales to a customer may be more than 5% of Group revenue, 
although the sales would typically be both original equipment 
and service, and to a number of different geographic regions. 
The Group regularly reviews its trading relationships with 
suppliers with the aim of ensuring that alternative sources 
of supply are available.

Large one-off projects

The Group undertakes large, one-off projects for its customers 
each year. Several risks follow from the nature of this type of 
business, including the potential for cost over- runs and delays 
in performing the contract, with a consequent impact on cash 
flows and profits. Also, the Group is prone to potentially large 
fluctuations in business levels, as demand can be volatile.

Loss of a key facility

The Group utilises good project management practices, 
including regular technical and commercial reviews of its major 
projects. Resource capacity is regularly reviewed, alongside 
reviews of order prospects lists.

The Group operates a number of sites around the world and the 
loss of any one of them would interrupt a revenue stream and 
could potentially have an adverse effect on the Group’s 
operating results and financial condition.

Disaster recovery plans are in place for each site. IT 
infrastructures are designed to have minimal inter dependence 
across the Group, thereby not exposing a number of facilities to 
the failure of one central system.

Exchange rate movements

The majority of the Group’s trading is conducted outside of the 
UK and in currencies other than sterling. Consequently, its 
financial performance is affected by fluctuations in foreign 
exchange rates, particularly as a result of changes in the 
relative values of the US dollar, Canadian dollar, euro, 
and sterling.

The Group has a wide supply base in different countries and 
monitors the relative values of currencies in making purchasing 
decisions. The Group enters into forward foreign exchange 
contracts to minimise currency exposures on sales and 
purchases in other than the functional currencies of 
its operations.

IT Security

The Group holds sensitive data relating to its employees, 
customers and suppliers as well as intellectual property and 
financial data. Should security infringement occur the Group 
risks loss of customers, disruption of normal operations, fines 
and reputational damage.

The Group continually reviews the effectiveness of its IT security 
controls in consultation with external experts and invests in 
industry best practice security software. The security 
arrangements of the Group’s IT assets prevent unauthorised 
access to core IT hardware. IT infrastructures are designed to 
have minimal inter dependence across the Group.

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 201821

Mitigation

The Group is currently in discussions with various UK banks to 
seek the renewal of banking facilities. As at 31 December 2018, 
the Group holds net cash balances of £27.0m. It is considered 
that the Group has sufficient cash resources to carry on 
in operational existence for the foreseeable future. It is 
considered that new banking facilities will be agreed 
within the coming months.

The Group and the pension schemes implement liability 
reduction strategies where such opportunities exist and the 
Group maintains regular dialogue with its pension advisors 
on such matters. Regular meetings are held with the trustee of 
the UK pension scheme, to input into their asset investment 
decisions and to apprise the trustee of the progress of the Group 
to help inform them in making decisions which may impact the 
scheme funding requirements. However, many factors which 
impact the valuations and funding requirements of the pension 
schemes are outside the control of the Group.

Risk

Availability of funding

Following the sale of the Instrumentation & Tobacco 
Machinery division, and the subsequent repayment of the 
Group’s outstanding loan facilities, the Group relinquished 
its borrowing facilities from its principal UK bank.

Liabilities of the Group sponsored defined benefit 
pension schemes

The Group is responsible for the funding of a defined benefit 
pension scheme in the UK, which pays a levy to the Pension 
Protection Fund of an amount outside the control of the Group, 
as well as three smaller such schemes in the USA. Changes 
in the value of the liabilities of the pension schemes, which 
were valued in aggregate at £377.7m at 31 December 2018 
in accordance with IAS 19, as a consequence of changes 
in interest rates and mortality rates, amongst others, and 
changes in the value of the assets of the pension schemes, 
which were valued in aggregate at £398.2m at 31 December 
2018, are largely outside the control of the Group. The 
valuation of these schemes impact on the value of capital 
employed in the Group and the extent to which, as a matter 
of law, it has available as distributable profits. The Group has 
responsibility for the adequate funding of the pension schemes 
and is currently paying to the UK scheme £1.9m per annum 
in respect of deficit funding following an actuarial funding 
valuation as at 30 June 2015. The UK scheme is subject to a full 
actuarial funding valuation as at 30 June 2018 which will help 
inform its funding requirements over the subsequent periods.

Litigation

The Group from time to time may be subject to claims from 
third parties in relation to its current and past operations, 
which could result in legal costs and rulings against it that may 
have a material effect on the Group’s operating results and 
financial condition.

The Group has a comprehensive risk management and review 
process which is aimed at minimising the risk of such claims 
arising as a consequence of its actions. Insurance policies are 
in place to cover some such incidences and third-party legal 
assistance is sought as required.

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018FINANCIAL STATEMENTSCORPORATE GOVERNANCESTRATEGIC REPORT22

Chairman’s Corporate Governance statement

Andrew Kitchingman
Chairman

Following a review earlier  
in the year, the Board has 
decided to apply the QCA 
Corporate Governance 
Code, an updated version  
of which was published  
in April 2018.

As Chairman, I am responsible for leading 
the Board and upholding high standards 
of corporate governance throughout the 
Group and particularly at Board level. It 
therefore gives me pleasure to introduce 
our governance statement. 

The Company is listed on AIM and since 
September 2018 has been required to 
provide a statement of its compliance 
with a recognised corporate governance 
code. The Directors share the view that 
sound governance is fundamental to 
the successful growth of the business. 
After the Company’s admission to AIM 
in 2014, the Board continued to follow 
the principles of the UK Corporate 
Governance Code, as appropriate to 
the size and nature of the Group. 
Following a review earlier in the year, 
the Board has decided to apply the QCA 
Corporate Governance Code, an updated 
version of which was published in April 
2018 (the “New QCA Code”). 

Compliance with the QCA Code:
The Board believes that it applies the 
ten principles of the New QCA Code 
but recognises the need to continue 
to develop governance practices and 
disclosures in some areas in order to 

ensure we continue to apply the 
principles going forwards. The policies, 
procedures and relevant systems we 
have implemented to date have given 
us a firm foundation for our governance 
structure, which is described on page 23. 
The Board regularly reviews the structure 
to ensure that it develops in line with the 
growth and strategic plans of the Group. 

Deliver Growth
The Board has collective responsibility 
for setting the strategic aims and 
objectives of the Group. Our strategy is 
articulated on pages 14 to 16 and on our 
website. In the course of implementing 
our strategic aims, the Board takes into 
account expectations of the Company’s 
shareholder base and also its wider 
stakeholder and social responsibilities.

The Board also has responsibility for 
the Group’s internal control and risk 
management systems. The Board 
regularly reviews the risks faced and 
ensures the mitigation strategies in place 
are the most effective and appropriate 
to the Group’s operations. 

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 201823

Dynamic Management Framework
As Chairman, I consider the operation 
of the Board as a whole and the 
performance of the directors individually, 
regularly. The directors attend seminars 
from time to time as appropriate and 
have regular updates at Board meetings 
to assist with training and awareness 
of compliance issues facing boards of 
quoted companies. The Board carries 
out a formal review annually in respect 
of its performance over the previous year. 
The evaluation is informed by detailed 
questionnaires completed by each 
director. All appointments to the 
Board will be on merit, but with due 
consideration to the need for diversity 
on the Board. Such appointments will 
be made to complement the existing 
balance of skills and experience on 
the Board.

The Company operates an open and 
inclusive culture and this is reflected in 
the way that the Board conducts itself. 
The Non-Executive Directors regularly 
attend the Group’s offices and other 
Group events. With a relatively small 
employee base, such interactions mean 
it is relatively straightforward for the 

Board to promote and assess the desired 
corporate culture. We recognise this is 
an area for development and we intend 
to further develop our culture during 
the course of the year. 

Build Trust
During the year the Board has continued 
to review governance and the Group’s 
corporate governance framework. 
The Board will continue to monitor its 
application of the QCA Code and revise 
its governance framework as appropriate 
as the Group evolves.

The Board recognises the importance 
of maintaining regular dialogue with 
institutional shareholders to ensure that 
the Group’s strategy is communicated 
and to understand the expectations of 
our shareholders. 

Andrew Kitchingman
Chairman
Mpac Group plc
4 March 2019

Our Board and Committee Structure

Chairman

The Board

Company Secretary

Remuneration and 
Nomination Committee

Audit 
Committee

Executive Leadership Team
 » Chief Executive
 » Group Finance Director
 » Regional Managing Director – 

Americas

 » Regional Managing Director – 

Asia

 » Site Director – Wijchen
 » Site Director – Coventry
 » Innovation Manager

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018FINANCIAL STATEMENTSCORPORATE GOVERNANCESTRATEGIC REPORT24

Board of Directors

1

2

3

4

5

1

  Andrew Kitchingman FCA

Independent Non-Executive Chairman
Appointment: Andrew Kitchingman was 
appointed Chairman of the Board on 19 April 
2018. He joined the Board on 11 May 2016 as 
a non-executive director. 
Committees: Member of the Audit Committee 
and Remuneration and Nomination Committee. 
Skills and experience: Andrew is a Fellow of 
the Institute of Chartered Accountants in 
England and Wales and formerly worked in 
senior positions in corporate finance with a 
number of firms, including KPMG, Hill Samuel, 
Albert E Sharp, Brewin Dolphin and WH Ireland.
Key strengths: 
 » Strong experience of financial control 

and good corporate governance

 » Expertise in equity and debt capital raising
 » Mergers & acquisitions
Other commitments: Non-executive director 
of Andrew Sykes Group plc, Morhomes plc, 
Lon-Pro Holdings plc and Incommunities Group 
Limited and a director of The Cathedral Choir 
School Ripon Limited.

2

  Dr Tony Steels

Chief Executive
Appointment: Tony Steels joined the Company 
and was appointed to the Board as Chief 
Executive on 6 June 2016. 
Skills and experience: Tony previously 
held a number of senior UK and international 
management positions, most recently at 
Cytec Industries, Umeco plc and Georg Fischer 
AG. He has degrees in both Engineering and 
Management augmented with over 30 years 
Industrial management experience.
Key strengths:
 » Capital Equipment Industry experience 

of more than 15 years

 » Delivery of strategic transformations and 

sustainable profitable growth

 » Extensive senior executive international 

business development

 » Selection and development of high-
performance leadership teams

3

  Will Wilkins FCCA
Group Finance Director
Appointment: Will Wilkins joined the 
Mpac Group Board as Group Finance Director 
on 22 June 2018. 
Skills and experience: Will is a chartered certified 
accountant and prior to his appointment, he held 
a variety of senior positions with the Company 
including Group Financial Controller and Group 
Operations Director. He previously held a senior 
financial position at BSH Home Appliances and 
began his career at Grant Thornton in 1992.

Key strengths:
 » Extensive experience at improving business 

systems, processes and controls

 » More than 25 years proven track record as 
a senior finance professional with strong 
financial reporting discipline

 » Cross functional practical experience 

in operations and finance

4

  John Davies

Independent Non-Executive Director
Appointment: John Davies joined the Board on 
27 January 2011 as a non-executive director.
Committees: Chairman of the Remuneration 
and Nomination Committee and member of the 
Audit Committee. 
Skills and experience: John is a non-executive 
director of Redde plc and he was formerly 
non-executive Chairman of Autologic Holdings 
plc, Managing Director of Lloyds TSB’s Asset 
Finance division, Head of Consumer Finance 
for Standard Chartered Bank and Managing 
Director of United Dominions Trust, a 
subsidiary of Lloyds TSB Bank plc.
Key strengths: 
 » Proven track record of developing 

companies through acquisition and mergers

 » International business experience
 » Strong financial analysis and financial 

control skills

 » Experience of negotiating and managing 

joint ventures

Other commitments: Non-executive director 
of Redde plc.

5

  Doug Robertson

Independent Non-Executive Director
Appointment: Doug Robertson joined the 
Mpac Group Board on 1 November 2018 as 
a non-executive director. 
Committees: Chairman of the Audit 
Committee and member of the Remuneration 
and Nomination Committee. 
Skills and experience: Doug was Group 
Finance Director of SIG plc until he retired from 
the role in January 2017. Prior to joining SIG, 
Doug was Group Finance Director of Umeco plc 
and Seton House Group Limited. He spent his 
early career with Williams plc in a variety of 
senior financial and business roles.
Key strengths: 
 » Extensive multinational financial 

management experience in both public and 
private companies
 » Strategic planning
 » Acquisitions and divestments
Other commitments: Non-executive director 
at HSS Hire Group plc and Zotefoams plc.

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018Corporate Governance report

Composition and independence 
of the Board
The Board consists of five directors: the 
Non-Executive Chairman, two executive 
directors and two non-executive Directors. 
All of the non-executive Directors are 
considered independent, as assessed by 
reference to larger company corporate 
governance codes.

Details of each Director’s experience and 
background are given in their biographies 
on page 24. The skill-set and experience of 
Board members is relevant for the current 
position of the Company and covers areas 
including financial management and control, 
capital raising, capital goods industries, 
banking, engineering, strategic planning, 
business development, mergers and 
acquisitions and international management.

Appointments to the Board and 
re-election
Phil Moorhouse resigned as Non-Executive 
Chairman of the Company on 19 April 2018. 
Will Wilkins joined the Board as Group 
Finance Director on 22 June 2018 following 
the resignation of Jim Haughey as Group 
Finance director on 22 June 2018. Doug 
Robertson was appointed to the Board as 
an independent Non-Executive Director 
on 1 November 2018.

The Board has delegated the tasks of 
reviewing Board composition, searching 
for appropriate candidates and making 
recommendations to the Board on 
candidates to be appointed as Directors 
to the Remuneration and Nomination 
Committee. Further details on the role 
of the Remuneration and Nomination 
Committee may be found on page 32.

As directors appointed during the year, 
both Will Wilkins and Doug Robertson 
will stand for election at the 2019 Annual 
General Meeting and the remaining 
directors will offer themselves for 
re-election, in accordance with best 
practice in corporate governance.

The Board considers all directors to be 
effective and committed to their roles.

Division of responsibilities
The Chairman and Chief Executive 
have separate, clearly defined roles. 
The Chairman is responsible for 
overseeing the Board and the 
Chief Executive is responsible for 
implementing the Group’s strategy 
and for its operational performance. 

Executive directors
The executive directors are full time 
employees of the Company and have 
entered into service agreements with 
the Company.

Non-Executive directors
Each of the non-executive directors has 
entered into a letter of appointment with 
the Company which set out the duties of 
the Director and commitment expected. 
They are expected to commit at least 
24 days per annum to their role and are 
specifically tasked with:

 » bringing independent judgement 
to bear on issues put to the Board;

 » applying their knowledge and 

experience in considering matters 
such as strategy, company 
performance, use of resources and 
standards of conduct; and 

 » ensuring high standards of financial 
probity and corporate governance.

25

How the Board operates
The Board is responsible for:

 » developing Group strategy, business 

planning, budgeting and 
risk management;

 » monitoring performance against 

budget and other agreed objectives;

 » setting the Group’s values and 
standards, including policies on 
employment, health and safety, 
environment and ethics;

 » relationships with shareholders and 

other major stakeholders;
 » determining the financial and 

corporate structure of the Group 
(including financing and 
dividend policy);

 » major investment and divestment 
decisions, and approving material 
contracts; and

 » Group compliance with relevant laws 

and regulations.

The Board retains control of certain 
key decisions through the schedule of 
matters reserved for the Board. It has 
delegated other matters, responsibilities 
and authorities to each of the Audit 
and Remuneration and Nomination 
Committees and these are documented 
in the Terms of Reference of each of those 
committees. Anything falling outside of 
the schedule of matters reserved or the 
committee Terms of Reference falls within 
the responsibility and authority of the 
Chief Executive, including all executive 
management matters.

Day to day management of the 
Company’s business is delegated 
to the executive directors and in turn 
to senior members of the leadership 
team in accordance with a clear and 
comprehensive statement of 
delegated authorities. 

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018FINANCIAL STATEMENTSCORPORATE GOVERNANCESTRATEGIC REPORT26

Corporate Governance report continued

The Board meets at regular intervals 
and met seven times during the year. 
Directors also have contact on a variety 
of issues between formal meetings and 
there is also regular contact with the 
Executive Leadership Team.

An agenda and accompanying detailed 
papers, covering key business and 
governance issues and including reports 
from the Executive Directors and other 
members of senior management, are 
circulated to the Board in advance of 
each Board meeting. All Directors have 
direct access to senior management 
should they require additional 
information on any of the items to be 
discussed. A calendar of matters to be 
discussed at each meeting is prepared 
to ensure that all key issues are captured.

At each meeting, the Board reviews 
comprehensive financial and trading 
information produced by the management 
team and considers the trends in the 
Company’s business and its performance 
against strategic objectives and plans. It 
also regularly reviews the work of its 
formally constituted standing Committees 
as described below and compliance with 
the Group’s policies and obligations.

Andrew Kitchingman

John Davies

Doug Robertson2

Tony Steels

Will Wilkins1

Phil Moorhouse3

Jim Haughey4

All Directors are expected to attend 
all meetings of the Board and any 
committees of which they are members, 
and to devote sufficient time to the 
Company’s affairs to fulfil their duties 
as Directors. Where Directors are unable 
to attend a meeting, they are encouraged 
to submit any comments on paper to 
be considered at the meeting to the 
Chairman in advance to ensure that 
their views are recorded and taken 
into account during the meeting.

Directors are encouraged to question 
and voice any concerns they may have on 
any topic put to the Board for debate. The 
Board is supported in its work by Board 
Committees, which are responsible for a 
variety of tasks delegated by the Board. 
There is also an Executive Leadership Team 
composed of the Chief Executive and Group 
Finance Director and representatives from 
senior management whose responsibilities 
are to implement the decisions of the Board 
and review the key business objectives and 
status of projects.

Attendance at Board and Committee 
meetings by the Directors is shown 
below. In addition, there was a short 
Board meeting to convene the General 
meeting which was held on 22 January 
2018 in respect of the change of 
Company name to Mpac Group plc. 

Board

Audit 
Committee

Remuneration 
and 
Nomination 
Committee

7/7

7/7

1/1

7/7

3/3

3/3

4/4

4/4

4/4

1/1

–

–

2/2

–

5/55

7/7

1/1

–

–

2/2

–

The main activities of the Board during 
the year
There are a number of standing and 
routine items included for review on each 
Board agenda. These include the Chief 
Executive’s trading update, operations 
reports, financial reports, governance 
and investor relations updates. In 
addition, key areas put to the Board for 
consideration and review included:

 » approval of annual and half year report 

and financial statements;

 » budget review;
 » going concern and cash flow;
 » approving 

capital expenditure on new projects;

 » consideration of 

banking arrangements;

 » investor relations;
 » acquisitions;
 » review of corporate governance and 

QCA Code compliance;
 » review of AGM business;
 » outcomes from the Board evaluation 

process; and

 » briefings and review of conflicts 

of interest.

During the year, a strategy meeting 
was held with members of the Board 
and senior management, giving the Board 
greater visibility and understanding over 
the Company’s business and the steps 
being taken to execute its strategy. 
Board meetings are held at the Group’s 
facilities in Wijchen, the Netherlands and 
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada and the 
Chairman and non-executive directors 
are invited to participate in senior 
leadership meetings. 

1  Appointed to the Board on 22 June 2018
2  Appointed to the Board on 1 November 2018
3  Resigned from the Board on 19 April 2018
4  Resigned from the Board on 22 June 2018
5  Andrew Kitchingman did not attend the Remuneration and Nomination Committee meetings 

in which the appointment of Chairman and his remuneration were discussed.

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 201827

An evaluation process has been 
undertaken in respect of 2018 and the 
results discussed by the Board. 

Accountability
The Company has in place a system of 
internal financial controls commensurate 
with its current size and activities, which 
is designed to ensure that the possibility 
of misstatement or loss is kept to a 
minimum. These procedures include the 
preparation of management accounts, 
forecast variance analysis and other 
ad-hoc reports. There are clearly defined 
authority limits throughout the Group, 
including matters reserved specifically 
for the Board. 

Risk management and internal control
Risks throughout the Group are 
considered and reviewed on a regular 
basis. Risks are identified and mitigating 
actions put into place as appropriate. 
Principal risks identified are set out in 
the Strategic report on pages 20 to 21. 
Internal control and risk management 
procedures can only provide reasonable 
and not absolute assurance against 
material misstatement. The internal 
control procedures were in place 
throughout the financial year and up 
to the date of approval of this report.

Financial and business reporting
The Board seeks to present a fair, 
balanced and understandable 
assessment of the Group’s position 
and prospects in all half-year, final 
and any other ad-hoc reports and other 
information as may be required from 
time to time. The Board receives a 
number of reports, including those from 
the Audit Committee, to enable it to 
monitor and clearly understand the 
Group’s financial position.

The Board Committees
During the year, the Board agreed 
to amalgamate the Remuneration 
Committee and the Nomination 
Committee into one Committee. There 
are therefore two Board Committees, the 
Audit Committee and the Remuneration 
and Nomination Committee. Both 
Committees are composed of the three 
Non-Executive Directors.

professional advice in the furtherance 
of their duties, if necessary, at the 
Company’s expense. Directors also 
have direct access to the advice and 
services of the Company Secretary.

The Company Secretary supports the 
Chairman in ensuring that the Board 
receives the information and support 
it needs to carry out its roles. 

Each committee has approved 
Terms of Reference setting out their 
responsibilities which were reviewed and 
approved by the Board during the year 
and are available on the Company’s 
website www.mpac-group.com. 

Directors’ induction
When Directors join the Board, they 
receive an induction covering topics such 
as the operation of the Board, Directors’ 
responsibilities, insider dealing, AIM 
Rules and governance documents. 

Details of the operation of the Board 
Committees are set out in their 
respective reports below. All of the Board 
Committees are authorised to obtain, at 
the Company’s expense, professional 
advice on any matter within their Terms 
of Reference and to have access to 
sufficient resources in order to carry 
out their duties.

External Advisers
The Board seeks advice on various 
matters from its nominated adviser, 
Panmure Gordon & Co. The Board also 
uses the services of an external company 
secretarial provider, Prism Cosec. Prism 
Cosec was appointed Company 
Secretary for the year under review. 
The Board decided to make an internal 
appointment from 1 January 2019 
and Duncan Tyler was appointed 
Company Secretary. 

Development, information and support
Directors keep their skillset up to date 
with a combination of attendance at 
industry events, individual reading and 
study and experience gained from other 
board roles. The Company Secretary 
ensures the Board is aware of any 
applicable regulatory changes and 
updates the Board as and when relevant. 
Directors are able to take independent 

Conflicts of interest
Under the Articles, the Directors may 
authorise any actual or potential conflict 
of interest a Director may have and may 
impose any conditions on the Director 
that are felt to be appropriate. Directors 
are not able to vote in respect of any 
contract, arrangement or transaction in 
which they have a material interest and 
they are not counted in the quorum.

A process is in place to identify any of the 
Directors’ potential or actual conflicts 
of interest. 

Performance evaluation
The Chairman considers the operation 
of the Board and performance of the 
Directors on an ongoing basis as part 
of his duties and will bring any areas of 
improvement he considers are needed 
to the attention of the Board. The Board 
carries out an evaluation process each 
year in respect of its performance over 
the previous year. The evaluation is 
informed by a detailed Board 
effectiveness questionnaire completed 
by each director with the results being 
collated and reported to the Board 
for discussion. 

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018FINANCIAL STATEMENTSCORPORATE GOVERNANCESTRATEGIC REPORT28

Corporate Governance report continued

Business Ethics
The Board is committed to the Group 
operating to the highest standards of 
ethical behaviour. The Group’s Ethics 
policy sets out certain principles that the 
Board expects all businesses within the 
Group to adhere to and certain values 
that should be embodied in the day-to-
day activities of the Group. It expects 
all employees of the Group, led by the 
members of the Board and the Group’s 
senior management, to encourage and 
support all other employees in acting in 
accordance with the policy. In support of 
this policy and its principles, the Board 
has published guidance in the Group 
Ethics policy, which is available on the 
Company’s website at www.mpac-group.
com/mpac-group-policies

Whistleblowing
The Company has a whistleblowing 
procedure, details of which are provided 
to all employees. Staff may report any 
suspicion of fraud, financial irregularity 
or other malpractice to a senior manager, 
executive director or an independent 
help-line. The policy is reviewed by the 
Audit Committee every year and updated 
as required. Details of any matters raised 
under this procedure are reported to the 
Audit Committee. 

Shareholders
The Company welcomes contact with 
its shareholders and the Group Finance 
Director’s contact details are set out 
in the Investors section of our website: 
www.mpac-group.com/investors/
ir-contacts

Directors are available to discuss any 
matters that shareholders might wish 
to raise. They maintain communication 
with institutional shareholders, other 
investors and analysts through meetings, 
particularly following publication of the 
Group’s interim and full year 
preliminary results. 

Investor relations activity and a review 
of the shareholder register are quarterly 
items on the Board’s agenda. The Board 
also regularly receives copies of analysts’ 
and brokers’ briefings.

The Company strives to provide a clear, 
balanced and comprehensive level of 
information and written material. The 
Company maintains a corporate website 
which contains regularly updated 
regulatory and other information. The 
annual report and accounts is a key 
communication document and is also 
available on the Company’s website. 
The Company also issues both statutory 
and non-statutory regulatory news 
announcements throughout the year to 
update on financial, operational and other 
matters. The Company offers its larger 
shareholders, either directly or via its 
broker, face-to-face meetings on a 
bi-annual basis at a minimum to present 
and discuss performance and other 
matters, and obtain any feedback. These 
meetings are hosted by the Company’s 
Chief Executive and Group Finance 
Director. The Company also hosts a 
briefing for analysts, arranged by the 
Company’s financial public relations 
adviser, twice a year to coincide with the 
announcement of its half year and full 
year financial results to present and 
discuss the same matters.

All shareholders are encouraged to 
attend the Annual General Meeting 
(AGM) at which the Group’s activities will 
be considered and questions answered. 
The Directors are available to listen to 
the views of shareholders informally 
immediately following the AGM.

This year’s AGM will be held on Thursday 
2 May 2019. The Notice of Annual 
General Meeting is set out on pages 
101 to 107 and will be available on the 
Company’s website at www.mpac-group.
com. Separate resolutions are provided 
on each issue so that they can be given 
proper consideration.

I would like to thank all employees for 
their efforts in making positive change 
that will contribute towards the future 
success of the business and their hard 
work and contribution to the Group’s 
performance in 2018.

Andrew Kitchingman
Chairman
4 March 2019

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018Audit Committee report

29

Doug Robertson
Chairman of the Audit Committee 

I am pleased to present  
my first report as Chairman 
of the Audit Committee  
for the year ended 
31 December 2018.

The main items of business considered 
by the Committee during the 
year included: 

 » review of the year-end audit plan, 

and consideration of the scope of the 
audit, Group accounting policies and 
the external auditor’s fees
 » review of the annual report and 
financial statements, including 
consideration of the significant 
accounting issues relating to the 
financial statements, and the going 
concern review

 » consideration of the external audit 

report and management 
representation letter

 » review and approval of the interim 

financial statements and the external 
auditor’s report 

 » review of the risk management and 

internal control systems
 » assessment of external 
audit effectiveness

 » review of the internal audit function
 » review of whistleblowing arrangements
 » review of the Committee’s Terms 

of Reference

Membership
The Committee’s members are the 
non-executive directors, whose 
biographies are set out on page 24. 
Andrew Kitchingman stood down as 
Chairman of the Committee and I was 
appointed in his place on my appointment 
to the Board on 1 November 2018. 
Andrew remains a member of the 
Committee, together with our fellow 
non-executive director, John Davies. 
The members of the Committee are all 
independent, non-executive directors. 

Meetings and attendance
The Committee met four times during 
the year. All members of the Committee 
at the time of each meeting were present 
at the meetings. The Chief Executive, 
Group Finance Director, Secretary, senior 
member of the internal audit function and 
representatives of the external auditors 
(when half-year accounts, year-end 
accounts or external audit plan proposals 
are considered) are invited to attend all or 
part of each meeting. Each of them has 
confidential access to me at other times 
as required.

Duties
The duties of the Committee are as set 
out in its Terms of Reference which are 
available on the Company’s website at 
www.mpac-group.com. The Terms of 
Reference are reviewed annually and 
approved by the Board.

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018FINANCIAL STATEMENTSCORPORATE GOVERNANCESTRATEGIC REPORT30

Audit Committee report continued

External auditor
In our 2017 annual report, the Committee 
stated its intention to hold a competitive 
tender for external audit services during 
the year, due to the long tenure of KPMG 
LLP as auditors of the Group and as the 
Senior Statutory Auditor was due to 
change under KPMG’s internal policy of 
rotating audit partners every five years. 
The tender process was duly conducted 
by the Committee Chairman, the Group 
Finance Director and members of the 
Finance team, with three audit firms 
being invited to present their proposals. 
On completion of the tender process, 
a recommendation was made to the 
Board to appoint Grant Thornton UK 
LLP as external auditor following the 
announcement of the half year 
results in September 2018. 

Having reviewed the auditor’s 
independence and performance to date, 
the Committee has recommended to the 
Board that they should be re-appointed 
for the 2019 audit. A resolution to appoint 
Grant Thornton UK LLP as the Company’s 
auditor is to be proposed at the 
forthcoming Annual General Meeting 
on Thursday 2 May 2019.

Policies for non-audit services and 
engagement of former employees 
of the external auditor
The Committee has developed policies 
relating to the employment of former 
employees of the external auditor and the 
engagement of the auditors, or advisors 
related to the auditors, on non-audit 
services. These policies, which have been 
adopted formally by the Board, require, 
inter alia, the Committee’s consent to 
material engagements or any employment, 
with appropriate confirmation of 
independence from the auditors.

External financial reporting
The committee reviews all areas of the 
Group’s external financial reporting, with 
particular focus on judgemental areas 
such as going concern, pension fund 
valuation and contract accounting.

Audit process
The external auditor prepares an 
audit plan for its review of the full-year 
financial statements, and the audit plan 
is reviewed and agreed in advance by 
the Committee. Prior to approval of the 
financial statements, the external auditor 
presents its findings to the Committee, 
highlighting areas of significant financial 
judgement for discussion.

Internal audit
The Committee considers annually how 
the internal audit function operates in the 
Group, including its Terms of Reference 
and whether this gives sufficient 
assurance that the business and controls 
of the Group are reviewed adequately. 
The Committee also approves the 
internal audit work plan each year. This 
function is part of the Group’s finance 
department and its senior member 
reports to the Committee at each 
meeting on its activities and has direct 
access to me as required at all times.

During the year, the principal activities 
have included a review of the internal 
audit provision, incorporating the use of 
external specialists and in-depth support 
to one of the Group’s key sites.

Risk management and internal controls
The Group has established a system 
of risk management and internal 
controls. The Committee is responsible 
for reviewing the systems of risk 
management and internal control and 
has reviewed management’s progress 
in implementing and maintaining such 
control systems during the year. The 
Committee is satisfied that the internal 
control systems are operating effectively.

The Board has taken and will continue 
to take appropriate measures to 
ensure that the chances of financial 
irregularities occurring are reduced as far 
as reasonably possible by improving the 
quality of information at all levels in the 
Group, fostering an open environment 
and ensuring that financial analysis is 
rigorously applied. Any system of internal 
control can, however, only provide 
reasonable, but not absolute, assurance 
against material misstatement or loss.

The major elements of the system of 
internal control are as follows:

 » major commercial, strategic and 

financial risks are formally identified, 
quantified and assessed during 
the annual budgeting exercise and 
presented to and discussed with 
executive directors, after which 
they are considered by the Board;
 » there is a comprehensive system 
of planning, budgeting, reporting 
and monitoring. This includes 
monthly management reporting 
and monitoring of performance 
and forecasts. Monthly reviews are 
embedded in the internal control 
process and cover each principal site. 
Monthly reviews require the 
leadership team to consider, among 
other things, business development, 
financial performance against budget 
and forecast, health and safety and 
capital expenditure proposals, as well 
as a review of longer-term business 
development and all other aspects of 
the business. They are attended by 
executive directors and other Group 
personnel as appropriate;

 » there is an organisational structure 

with clearly defined lines of 
responsibility and delegation 
of authority;

 » each site is required to comply with 

defined policies, financial controls and 
procedures and authorisation levels 
which are clearly communicated;
 » a regular programme of internal 
control reviews and specific 
investigations is carried out by group 
finance personnel. These are followed 
up during regular executive 
management visits. The internal 
control reviews include assessments 
of compliance with Group policies and 
procedures and findings are reported 
to the Audit Committee and Board 
as appropriate;

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 201831

 » a formal risk management audit 
is regularly carried out by group 
personnel and external risk 
management consultants, which 
covers physical damage, environmental 
and health and safety risks together 
with business continuity issues; and

 » formal reports including 

recommendations are sent to 
each site for action and reported 
back to group management. Progress 
reports are issued to the Board for 
review and monitoring.

Whistleblowing
The Group has in place a whistleblowing 
policy which sets out the formal process 
by which an employee of the Group may, 

in confidence, raise concerns 
about possible improprieties in 
financial reporting or other matters. 
Whistleblowing is an annual item on 
the Committee’s agenda, and any 
reported incidents will be notified to 
the Committee. During the year under 
review, there were no reported incidents.

Activities during the year
A summary of the Committee’s principal 
activities in 2018 is set out below.

Doug Robertson
Chairman of the Audit Committee 
4 March 2019

Month

March

April

Principal activities

 » Review of financial reporting, including material judgements and estimates, goodwill impairment review 
assumptions, going concern assumptions, draft Annual Report and Accounts 2017, governance reports, 
draft preliminary results announcement, representation letter to the external auditors and the 
audit report.

 » Consideration of the external auditors’ activities, effectiveness, objectivity and independence.
 » Consideration of the re-appointment of KPMG LLP as external auditors.
 » Review of internal controls and risk management processes and environment.

 » Approval of the internal audit work plan for the year.
 » Consideration of the effectiveness of the external audit process.
 » Consideration of external audit tender process.
 » Review of internal controls and risk management processes and environment

September

 » Review of financial reporting, including consideration of the going concern assumptions, the draft 
half-year announcement and the external auditors’ review report of the half-year condensed set of 
financial statements.

 » Consider the outcome of the external audit tender process and the appointment of Grant Thornton UK 

LLP as external auditors.

November

 » Appointment of Committee Chairman
 » Review and approval of the external audit plan for 2018 financial reporting. 
 » Consideration of and approval of external audit fee quotation for 2018 financial reporting.
 » Review of financial controls and accounting policies.
 » Consider approach to resourcing of internal audit function
 » Review of internal controls and risk management processes and environment.
 » Review of Committee terms of reference for Board approval
 » Review of whistleblowing arrangements.

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018FINANCIAL STATEMENTSCORPORATE GOVERNANCESTRATEGIC REPORT32

Remuneration and Nomination Committee report

John Davies
Chairman of the Remuneration 
and Nomination Committee

The Committee deals with 
all aspects of remuneration 
of the executive directors 
and certain senior  
managers and identifying 
and nominating members  
of the Board.

During the year, the Board agreed 
to amalgamate the Remuneration 
Committee and the Nomination 
Committee into one joint Committee. 
As Chairman of the Remuneration and 
Nomination Committee (the Committee) 
and on behalf of the Board, I am pleased 
to present our report which is presented 
in three sections: the Remuneration and 
Nomination Committee report, the 
Remuneration report and the forward-
looking Remuneration policy.

The Remuneration report, on pages 34 
to 35, details the amounts earned by 
the directors in respect of the period 
to 31 December 2018 and is subject 
to an advisory shareholder vote. The 
Remuneration policy, on pages 36 to 40, 
sets out the policy which was approved 
by shareholders at the Annual General 
Meeting held on 20 April 2017 and will 
remain in place until 20 April 2020.

Remuneration and 
Nomination Committee
Membership
The members of the Committee are 
the non-executive directors, whose 
biographies are set out on page 24. 
The members of the Committee are all 
independent, non-executive directors. 

Meetings and attendance
The Committee meets as often as 
required and at least twice a year. 

The Committee met six times during 
the year. All members of the Committee 
at the time of each meeting were present 
at the meetings. The Chief Executive, 
Group Finance Director and Company 
Secretary are invited to attend all or 
part of each meeting. Each of them 
has confidential access to me at 
other times as required.

Duties
The duties of the Committee are as set 
out in its Terms of Reference which is 
available on the Company’s website 
at www.mpac-group.com/investors 
The Terms of Reference are reviewed 
annually and approved by the Board.

The Committee deals with all aspects 
of remuneration of the executive 
directors and certain senior managers 
and identifying and nominating members 
of the Board.

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 201833

Benchmarking executive remuneration
During the early part of the year, 
as part of their review of executive 
remuneration, the Committee undertook 
a benchmarking exercise, conducted by 
Deloitte LLP, of remuneration in respect 
of the Chief Executive, Group Finance 
Director and certain other senior 
executive roles.

The main items of business considered by 
the Committee during the year focused on 
remuneration matters, including: 

 » approving bonus payments to 
executive directors under the 
Management Incentive Bonus 
Scheme 2017, following assessment 
of 2017 performance against agreed 
objectives and approving the 
performance criteria for the 2018 
annual bonus;

 » approving awards under the Deferred 

Share Plan; 

 » selection process for the appointment 

of a new Chairman and making a 
recommendation to the Board to 
appoint Andrew Kitchingman;

 » selection process for the appointment 

of a new Group Finance Director 
following the resignation of Jim 
Haughey and making a 
recommendation to the Board to 
appoint Will Wilkins;

 » selection process for the appointment 
of a new non-executive director and 
making a recommendation to the 
Board to appoint Doug Robertson;

 » succession planning;
 » re-election of directors at the AGM; 

and

 » reviewing the Committee’s Terms 

of Reference.

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018FINANCIAL STATEMENTSCORPORATE GOVERNANCESTRATEGIC REPORT34

Remuneration and Nomination Committee report continued

Annual Remuneration report
Directors’ total remuneration
The remuneration of the executive directors for the years 2018 and 2017 is made up as follows:

Executive directors’ remuneration as a single figure

2018

T Steels

J R Haughey

(resigned 22 June 2018)

W C Wilkins (appointed 22 June 2018)

2017

D J Cowen (resigned 1 September 2017)

T Steels

J R Haughey (appointed 2 October 2017)

a  Taxable benefits include: 

 All taxable

 benefitsa 
£000

 Termination 
paymentsb
 £000

Short-term 
incentive 
schemec
£000

14

9

7

–

33

–

24

–

30f

 Deferred 
share pland
£000

105

–

–

 Pensione 
£000

24

12

7

All taxable

 benefitsa 
£000

Termination
 paymentsb
 £000

Short-term 
incentive 
schemec
£000

Deferred 
share pland
 £000

 Pensione 
£000

23

21

3

94

–

–

–

64

11

–

90

–

60

23

7

 Salary  
£000

237

120

76

Salary 
£000

228

232

44

 Total  
£000

405

174

120

Total 
£000

405

430

65

Dr Steels, Mr Haughey and Mr Wilkins – car allowance payments, income replacement insurance and private medical cover; 
Mr Cowen – car allowance payments, private medical cover and income replacement insurance and life assurance premiums;

b  Mr Haughey resigned as a director of the Company on 22 June 2018 and as an employee on 31 August 2018. The termination payment represents 

pay in lieu of notice and reflects the principle of mitigation;

  Mr Cowen resigned as a director of the Company on 1 September 2017 and as an employee on 30 September 2017. The termination payment 

represents pay in lieu of notice and compensation for loss of employment, and reflects the principle of mitigation;
c  The performance criteria for the Short-term incentive scheme is described in the Remuneration policy on page 36.
d  The performance criteria for the Deferred share plan is described in the Remuneration policy on page 36. The amounts represent the values of the 
awards made in the form of conditional grants which are exercisable no earlier than three years from the date of grant. The share price at the date 
of grant in 2018 was 178.9p (2017: 79.0p.)

e  The values in respect of Dr Steels, Mr Wilkins and Mr Haughey are the amounts contributed by the Company into the Company’s Personal Pension 

Plan on their accounts. The values in respect of Mr Cowen and Mr Hunter are the amounts paid to each of them in lieu of membership of a 
pension scheme.
Includes an amount related to the period prior to Mr Wilkins appointment as a director.

f 

The remuneration of the non-executive directors for the years 2018 and 2017 is made up as follows:

Non-executive directors’ remuneration as a single figure

P J Moorhouse (resigned 19 April 2018)

J L Davies

A J Kitchingman 

D G Robertson (appointed 1 November 2018)

2018

All taxable 
benefits 
£000

–

–

–

–

Fees
 £000

25

50

65

8

 Total 
£000

 Fees 
£000

25

50

65

8

75

50

45

–

2017

All taxable 
benefits 
£000

–

–

–

–

Total 
£000

75

50

45

–

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 201835

Directors’ interests in shares
The beneficial interests of directors holding office at 31 December 2018 and persons connected with them in the ordinary shares of 
the Company (excluding share options) were as follows:

T Steels 

A J Kitchingman

Held at 
1 January 
2018

 Acquired in 
the year

Held at 
31 December 
2018

–

18,650

18,650

6,451

–

6,451

Mr P J Moorhouse resigned during the year. As at 31 December 2017, Mr Moorhouse held 20,000 shares in the Company.

No director holds, or held at any time during the year, a beneficial interest in the Company’s preference shares. There were no 
changes in the directors’ interests in shares between 31 December 2018 and 5 March 2019.

Incentive scheme – Deferred share plan
Details of conditional grants of Mpac Group plc ordinary shares under the Company’s Deferred share plan yet to vest for each 
director who held office during the year and who is eligible to participate in the plan are as follows:

T Steels

T Steels

W C Wilkins

Date of award

13 March 2018

8 June 2017

13 March 2018

Basis of 
award (% of 
salary)

45.0%

38.5%

Number of 
shares

Face value at 
grant (£000)

58,811

113,924

7,713

105

90

14

Mr Wilkins’ shares were awarded whilst he was an employee, but not a director, of the Company.

Awards are made following the achievement of personal objectives linked to long-term strategic initiatives. The earliest date that 
awards can vest is three years from the date of award.

Awards made to Mr Haughey in March 2018, with a face value at the time of the grants were made of £7,000, lapsed as a 
consequence of his leaving the employment of the Company. 

Payments to past directors
There were no payments made to past directors during the period in respect of services provided to the Company after their 
appointment was terminated, except that Mr Haughey received remuneration for the period from the date he ceased to be a director, 
on 22 June 2018, until the date his employment ceased on 31 August 2018. In 2017, Mr Cowen received remuneration for the period 
from the date he ceased to be a director, on 1 September 2017, until the date his employment ceased on 30 September 2017.

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018FINANCIAL STATEMENTSCORPORATE GOVERNANCESTRATEGIC REPORT36

Remuneration and Nomination Committee report continued

Remuneration policy
This part of the Remuneration and Nomination Committee’s report sets out the Remuneration policy which was determined by the 
Company’s Remuneration Committee and was subject to a binding vote at the Annual General Meeting on 20 April 2017, and it will be 
effective until no later than 20 April 2020. The policy is not subject to audit.

The Remuneration policy is designed to ensure that the remuneration packages offered, and the terms of the contracts of service, 
are competitive and are designed to attract, retain and motivate executive directors of the right calibre. To achieve these goals, the 
Remuneration and Nomination Committee’s policy is to establish fixed salary at around half of the total obtainable in the case of 
excellent performance, with recognition and reward for achieving performance targets annually and growth in the long-term.

Remuneration packages
The main components of the package for each executive director are:

i.  Basic salary
Basic salary is determined by taking into account the performance of the individual and information on the rates of salary for similar 
jobs in companies of comparable size and complexity in a range of engineering and other technology industries.

ii.  Incentive schemes
The executive directors participate in incentive schemes in which the aggregated minimum bonus payable is nil and the maximum 
bonus payable is 120% of relevant salaries, of which a maximum of 70% of salary is payable in cash (awarded under the rules of the 
Short-term incentive scheme) and a maximum of 50% of salary is payable in deferred shares (currently awarded as conditional grants 
in Mpac Group plc ordinary shares under the Company’s Deferred share plan). The targets against which performance is judged are 
primarily the Group’s key financial performance indicators in respect of the Short- term incentive scheme, set annually by the 
Committee, and personal objectives linked directly to long-term strategic initiatives to enhance shareholder value in respect of 
the Deferred share plan. The directors’ personal objectives are commercially sensitive and therefore remain, and are expected to 
continue to remain, confidential to the Company. In some years the targets for the Short-term incentive scheme may be varied to 
reflect particular objectives determined by the Committee. 

The main terms of the Deferred share plan are that an award is made, subject to the achievement of personal objectives, in the 
form of a nil cost option, which stipulates the number of deferred shares being awarded. Awards in each year are usually determined 
shortly after publication of the Company’s preliminary results announcement and, provided the director is still in the employment 
of the Company on the third anniversary of the award being made, the stated number of shares will be granted to the director at 
any time requested by the director from the third anniversary to, normally, the fourth anniversary. Alternatively, in exceptional 
circumstances and at the Company’s absolute discretion, the Company may make a cash payment of a sum equivalent to the value 
of the shares that would otherwise have been granted. In certain circumstances, for example retirement, the director may exercise 
a proportion of an award before the third year anniversary of the conditional grant.

iii.  Pensions
Directors may choose to join the Mpac Group Personal Pension Plan, which is a defined contribution scheme. Additionally, life 
assurance and income protection policies are put in place for the executive directors.

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 201837

Contracts of service
The Company’s policy is to offer contracts of employment that attract, motivate and retain skilled employees who are incentivised 
to deliver the Company’s strategy. The current service contracts were concluded with Dr Steels on 6 June 2016 and with Mr Wilkins 
on 22 June 2018. These service contracts are terminable on notice of one year given by the Company and six months given by the 
director. In the event of termination by the Company, the Company has the option of making a payment of liquidated damages 
equivalent to the value of 12 months’ salary, or the balance of the period to the date of expiry if less, or of negotiating appropriate 
compensation reflecting the principle of mitigation. In the event of a change of control in the Company, if the Company terminates an 
executive director's contract within six months of the change of control, or if an executive director terminates the contract within six 
months of the change of control, the Company will be obliged to pay liquidated damages equivalent to the value of 12 months’ salary. 
The purpose of the change of control clause, which is reviewed regularly, is that the contracts should provide reasonable and 
appropriate security to the director concerned and to the Company.

Any commitment contained within the current directors’ service contracts, or a current employee’s contract of employment who 
is subsequently promoted to the role of director, will be honoured even where it may be inconsistent with the Company’s 
Remuneration policy.

Letters of appointment
The non-executive directors are not issued with a separate service contract on appointment. The terms of their appointment are set 
out in their letter of appointment. The Company does not make termination payments to non-executive directors in the event that a 
non-executive director’s appointment is terminated by the Company.

Recruitment
The Committee reserves the right to make payments outside the Remuneration policy in exceptional circumstances. The Committee 
would only use this right where it believes that this is in the best interests of the Company and when it would be disproportionate to 
seek the specific approval of the shareholders in a general meeting.

When hiring a new executive director, the Committee will use the Remuneration policy to determine the executive director’s 
remuneration package. To facilitate the hiring of candidates of the appropriate calibre to implement the Group’s strategy, the 
Committee may include any other remuneration component or award not explicitly referred to in this Remuneration policy sufficient 
to attract the right candidate. In determining the appropriate remuneration the Committee will take into consideration all relevant 
factors (including the quantum and nature of the remuneration) to ensure the arrangements are in the best interests of the Company 
and its shareholders.

The Committee may buy-out incentive arrangements forfeited on leaving a previous employer after taking account of relevant 
factors including the form of the award, any performance conditions attached to the award and when they would have vested. The 
Committee may consider other components for structuring the buy-out including cash or share awards where there is a commercial 
rationale for this.

Where the recruitment requires the individual to relocate appropriate relocation costs may be offered.

Recruitment awards will normally be liable to forfeiture or clawback if the executive director leaves the Company within the first two 
years of their employment. Any such awards will be linked to the achievement of appropriate and challenging performance measures 
and will be forfeited if performance or continued employment conditions are not met.

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018FINANCIAL STATEMENTSCORPORATE GOVERNANCESTRATEGIC REPORT38

Remuneration and Nomination Committee report continued

Termination
The Committee reserves the right to make additional liquidated damages payments outside the terms of the directors’ service 
contracts where such payments are made in good faith in order to discharge an existing legal obligation (or by way of damages for 
breach of such an obligation) or by way of settlement or compromise of any claim arising in connection with the termination of a 
director’s office or employment.

Non-executive directors
The fees of non-executive directors are determined by the Board based upon comparable market levels. The non-executive directors 
do not participate in the Company’s incentive schemes and nor do they receive any benefits or pension contributions.

Future Remuneration policy table
The following table provides a summary of the key components of the remuneration package for directors:

Salary

Purpose and link to strategy

Operation

Opportunity

This is a fixed element of the executive directors’ remuneration and is intended to be 
competitive and attract, retain and motivate.

Takes into account the performance of the individual and information on the rates of 
salary for similar jobs in companies of comparable size and complexity in a range of 
engineering and technology industries.

Salary is normally reviewed annually. Ordinarily, salary increases will be in line with 
increases awarded to other employees within the Group. However, increases may be 
made above this level at the Remuneration and Nomination Committee’s discretion 
to take account of individual circumstances such as:

 » increase in scope and responsibility;
 » to reflect the individual’s development and performance in the role; and
 » alignment to market level.

Performance metrics

Not applicable, although individual performance is one of the considerations in 
determining the level of salary

Benefits

Purpose and link to strategy

The benefits provided to the executive directors are intended to be competitive and 
attract and retain the right calibre of candidate.

Operation

Benefits are paid to the executive directors in line with market practice.

Opportunity

Benefits are set at a level which the Remuneration and Nomination 
Committee considers:

 » are appropriately positioned against comparable roles in companies of a similar size 

and complexity in the relevant market; and

 » provide a sufficient level of benefit based upon the role and individual circumstances.

Performance metrics

Not applicable.

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 201839

Short-term incentive scheme

Purpose and link to strategy

The Short-term incentive scheme is intended to reward executive directors for the 
performance of the Group in the financial year.

Operation

The Remuneration and Nomination Committee reviews the financial performance of the 
Group following the end of each financial year and determines the payments to be made.

Opportunity

Maximum of 70% of salary.

Performance metrics

The targets against which performance is judged are primarily the Group’s key 
performance metrics in each financial year set annually by the Remuneration and 
Nomination Committee. In some years the targets for the Short-term incentive scheme 
may be varied to reflect particular objectives determined by the Remuneration and 
Nomination Committee. The Remuneration and Nomination Committee retains the 
ability to adjust and/or set different performance measures if events occur (such as a 
change in strategy, a material acquisition/divestment of a Group business, a change in 
prevailing market conditions, or a change in regulation which affects the Group) which 
cause the Remuneration and Nomination Committee to determine that the measures 
are no longer appropriate and that amendment is required so that they achieve their 
original purpose.

Deferred share plan

Purpose and link to strategy

The Deferred share plan is intended to reward executive directors for their contribution 
in respect of the longer-term development of the Group.

Operation

The Remuneration and Nomination Committee assesses the achievements of each 
director in respect of targets set annually and determines the award to be made, 
typically shortly after the Company’s preliminary results announcement.

Opportunity

Maximum of 50% of salary, valued at the date of award of the conditional grant.

Performance metrics

The targets against which performance is judged are specific objectives personal to 
each director aimed at contributing towards the longer-term development of the Group. 
The Remuneration and Nomination Committee retains the ability to adjust and/or set 
different performance measures if events occur (such as a change in strategy, a material 
acquisition/divestment of a Group business, a change in prevailing market conditions, or 
a change in regulation which affects one or other of the Group businesses) which cause 
the Remuneration and Nomination Committee to determine that the measures are no 
longer appropriate and that amendment is required so that they achieve their 
original purpose.

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018FINANCIAL STATEMENTSCORPORATE GOVERNANCESTRATEGIC REPORT40

Remuneration and Nomination Committee report continued

Pension

Purpose and link to strategy

Operation

Opportunity

The payment of a pension benefit is intended to form an integral part of an executive 
director’s remuneration package that is competitive and attracts, retains and motivates 
the director.

Directors may join the Mpac Group Personal Pension Plan, or alternatively, in lieu of 
payments to the pension scheme, the Company may pay additional emoluments.

Any percentage increase in pension contributions will not exceed the percentage 
increase in salary.

Performance metrics

Not applicable.

Non-executive directors’ fees

Purpose and link to strategy

To attract and retain non-executive directors of the right calibre.

Operation

The fees of non-executive directors are determined by the Board based upon 
comparable market levels. The non-executive directors do not participate in the 
Company’s incentive schemes and nor do they receive any benefits or 
pension contributions.

Statement of consideration of employment conditions elsewhere in the Group
The Group applies the same key principles to setting remuneration for its employees as those applied to the directors’ remuneration. 
In setting salaries and benefits each business considers the need to retain and incentivise key employees and the impact such policy 
has on the continued success of the Group. 

By order of the Board

John Davies
Chairman of the Remuneration and Nomination Committee 
4 March 2019

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018Directors’ report

41

Business review
The directors’ business review is set out as part of the 
Strategic report with the results of the Group being set out 
in the Consolidated income statement on page 54 and in 
its related notes.

Going concern
The Group‘s activities together with the factors likely to 
affect its future development, performance and position are 
as described within the Strategic report on pages 2 to 21. The 
directors have considered the trading outlook of the Group, its 
financial resources including its cash resources and access to 
borrowings, as set out in note 20 to the accounts on page 80, 
and its continuing obligations, including to its defined benefit 
pension schemes, details of which are set out in note 24 to the 
accounts on pages 81 to 87. Having made due enquiries the 
directors have a reasonable expectation that the Group has 
adequate resources to continue in operational existence for 
the foreseeable future. For this reason, they continue to adopt 
the going concern basis in preparing the financial statements.

Change of Name
A special resolution was passed at a general meeting of the 
Company held on 22 January 2018 to change the name of the 
Company from Molins PLC to Mpac Group plc.

Future developments
Details of future developments and events that have occurred 
after the balance sheet date can be found in the Strategic report 
on pages 2 to 21.

Directors
Biographical details of the Directors currently serving on the 
Board and their dates of appointment are set out on page 24 .

The Directors who served during the year are as follows:

Executive Directors

Non-Executive Directors

Tony Steels 

Will Wilkins1

Jim Haughey2

John Davies

Andrew Kitchingman

Doug Robertson3

Phil Moorhouse4

The Company’s approach to the appointment and replacement 
of Directors is governed by its Articles of Association (together 
with relevant legislation) and takes into consideration any 
recommendations of the QCA Code.

Subject to any restrictions in its Articles of Association and the 
Companies Act 2006, the Directors may exercise any powers 
which are not reserved for exercise by the shareholders.

Directors and directors’ interests
Directors’ interests in the Company’s shares as at 31 December 
2018 are shown on page 35 in the Remuneration report. There 
are no shareholding requirements for directors.

Substantial shareholdings
At 1 March 2019, the Company had been notified, or is aware of, 
the following interests in the issued ordinary share capital of 
the Company:

Schroder Investment 
Management Limited

River and Mercantile Asset 
Management LLP

Mr G V L Oury

Number of 
ordinary 
shares

% of issued 
ordinary 
shares

4,383,152

21.7

1,531,526

1,095,000

7.6

5.4

Results and dividends
The Group’s loss for the year was £6.0 million (31 December 
2017: £1.6 million profit). Having considered the trading results 
for 2018, together with the opportunities for investment in the 
growth of the Group, the Board has decided that it is appropriate 
not to pay a final dividend. No interim dividend was paid in 2018. 
Future dividend payments and the development of a new 
dividend policy will be considered by the Board in the context 
of 2019 trading performance and when the Board believes it 
is prudent to do so.

Dividends on the 6% preference shares are due for payment 
on 30 June and 31 December in each year and in 2018 amounted 
to £0.1m (2017: £0.1m).

1  Appointed to the Board on 22 June 2018
2  Resigned from the Board 22 June 2018
3  Appointed to the Board 1 November 2018
4  Resigned from the Board 19 April 2018

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018FINANCIAL STATEMENTSCORPORATE GOVERNANCESTRATEGIC REPORT 
 
42

Directors’ report continued

Research and development
Group policy is to retain and enhance its market position 
through the design and development of specialist machinery, 
instrumentation and services. To achieve this objective, engineering 
and product development facilities are maintained in the UK and 
overseas. Research and development expenditure for the Group 
incurred in 2018, net of third-party income, amounted to £1.2m 
(2017: £0.6m), of which £0.9m (2017: £0.5m) was charged to the 
Consolidated income statement and £0.3m (2017: £0.1m) was 
capitalised and included in development costs.

Share capital
At 31 December 2018, the Company’s issued share capital was 
£5,042,885 divided into 20,171,540 ordinary shares of £0.25 
each. Details of movements in issued share capital in the year are 
set out in note 25 to the financial statements. Authority for the 
purchase of up to 3,000,000 ordinary shares for cancellation was 
granted at the 2018 Annual General Meeting and this authority 
expires at the end of the 2019 AGM or if earlier, 19 July 2019. The 
directors consider it appropriate to seek further authority from 
the shareholders at the forthcoming Annual General Meeting for 
the Company to purchase its own shares.

Resolution 13, which will be proposed as a special resolution, 
will seek the necessary authority to enable the Company to 
purchase for cancellation ordinary shares in the market for a 
period of up to 12 months from the date of the meeting, upon 
the terms set out in the resolution, up to a maximum number 
of 3,000,000 ordinary shares representing approximately 15% 
of the issued ordinary share capital at the date of the notice 
convening the Annual General Meeting. No shares were 
purchased by the Company during the year.

EES Trustees International Limited holds shares as trustee 
in connection with the Company’s long-term incentive 
arrangements for the benefit of the Group’s employees; at 
5 March 2019 it held 347,016 shares. The trustee has agreed 
to waive all dividends and not to exercise voting rights in respect 
of shares representing 1.7% of the issued share capital.

Information about the Company’s share capital is given in note 
25 to the accounts on page 87.

Disclosure of information to the auditor
As far as the Directors are aware, there is no relevant audit 
information of which the Group’s auditor is unaware, and each 
Director has taken all reasonable steps that they ought to have 
taken as a Director in order to make themselves aware of any 
relevant audit information to establish that the Group’s auditors 
are aware of that information. 

Auditor
Grant Thornton UK LLP has indicated its willingness to continue 
in office as auditor and a resolution to re-appoint them will be 
proposed at the forthcoming Annual General Meeting.

Annual General Meeting
The Annual General Meeting will take place on 2 May 2019. 
Notice of the meeting can be found on pages 101 to 107.

Political donations
The Company made no political donations during the year 
to 31 December 2018.

Financial instruments
The financial risk management objectives of the Group, 
including details of the exposure of the Company and its 
subsidiaries to financial risks including credit risk, interest 
rate risk and currency risk, are provided in note 26 of the 
financial statements.

Social, community and human rights employment policies
The Group is committed to developing its employment policies 
in line with best practice and providing equal opportunities 
for all, irrespective of gender, age, marital status, sexual 
orientation, ethnic origin, religious belief or disability. Full and 
fair consideration is given to applications for employment from 
people with disabilities having regard to their aptitudes 
and abilities.

Every reasonable effort is made to support those who become 
disabled, either in the same job or, if this is not practicable, in 
suitable alternative work.

Employee involvement
Emphasis is placed on training, effective communication and the 
involvement of employees in the development of the business. 
Information is regularly provided on the progress of the Group 
through local review meetings, briefings and consultative 
bodies. Involvement in the achievements of the business is 
encouraged through other means appropriate to each location.

Ethics policy
The Group’s Ethics policy was reviewed, updated and reissued 
in February 2019. The Ethics policy, which is distributed to every 
Group employee and is available on the Group’s website at 
www.mpac-group.com, sets out the values which Mpac Group 
plc seeks to encourage and certain principles governing the way 
it does business.

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 201843

Environmental policy
The Group is committed not only to compliance with 
environmental legislation but also to the progressive 
introduction of appropriate measures to limit the adverse 
effects of its operations upon the environment. In particular, 
efforts are made to minimise waste arising from operations, 
to recycle materials wherever possible and to consider 
alternative methods of design or operation.

The Group aims both to reduce its costs by these means and to 
promote good practice in use of resources at sustainable levels.

Annual quantity of emissions
Mpac Group plc has chosen to report emissions for the Group 
on a voluntary basis as set out below. Emissions are measured 
as tonnes of CO2 equivalent resulting directly from the Group’s 
purchase of electricity and the combustion of fuel arising from 
the activities of the Group for which it is responsible, and an 
intensity ratio has also been included.

Intensity 
ratio 
(tonnes 
of CO2 
equivalent 
per 
employeea)

2.9

Emissions 
(tonnes
 of CO2 
equivalent)

611

279

890

Purchased electricity

Combustion of fuel

Total

a  Calculated using average number of employees in the year.

The Strategic report on pages 2 to 21 and Directors’ report on 
pages 41 to 43 are hereby approved by the Board of Directors.

By Order of the Board

Duncan Tyler 
Company Secretary
4 March 2019

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018FINANCIAL STATEMENTSCORPORATE GOVERNANCESTRATEGIC REPORT44

Statement of directors’ responsibilities in respect of the annual report 
and the financial statements

The directors are responsible for preparing the Annual Report 
and the Group and parent Company financial statements in 
accordance with applicable law and regulations.

Company law requires the directors to prepare Group and 
parent Company financial statements for each financial year. 
As required by the AIM Rules of the London Stock Exchange 
they are required to prepare the Group financial statements in 
accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards as 
adopted by the EU (IFRSs as adopted by the EU) and applicable 
law and have elected to prepare the parent Company financial 
statements on the same basis.

The directors are responsible for keeping adequate accounting 
records that are sufficient to show and explain the parent 
Company’s transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy 
at any time the financial position of the parent Company and 
enable them to ensure that its financial statements comply with 
the Companies Act 2006. They are responsible for such internal 
control as they determine is necessary to enable the preparation 
of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, 
whether due to fraud or error, and have general responsibility for 
taking such steps as are reasonably open to them to safeguard 
the assets of the Group and to prevent and detect fraud and 
other irregularities.

Under company law the directors must not approve the financial 
statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and 
fair view of the state of affairs of the Group and parent Company 
and of their profit or loss for that period. In preparing each of the 
Group and parent Company financial statements, the directors 
are required to:

 » select suitable accounting policies and then apply 

them consistently;

 » make judgements and estimates that are reasonable, 

relevant and reliable;

 » state whether they have been prepared in accordance with 

IFRSs as adopted by the EU;

 » assess the Group and parent Company’s ability to continue 

as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related 
to going concern; and

 » use the going concern basis of accounting unless they either 
intend to liquidate the Group or the parent Company or to 
cease operations or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

Under applicable law and regulations, the directors are also 
responsible for preparing a Strategic Report and a Directors’ 
Report that complies with that law and those regulations.

The directors are responsible for the maintenance and integrity 
of the corporate and financial information included on the 
company’s website. Legislation in the UK governing the 
preparation and dissemination of financial statements may 
differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.

By order of the Board

Tony Steels 
Chief Executive   Group Finance Director 
4 March 2019

Will Wilkins

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018Independent Auditor’s report  
to the members of Mpac Group plc 

Opinion

Our opinion on the financial statements is unmodified
We have audited the financial statements of Mpac Group plc (the 
‘parent company’) and its subsidiaries (the ‘group’) for the year 
ended 31 December 2018 which comprise the consolidated 
income statement, the Group and Company statements of 
comprehensive income, the Group and Company statements 
of changes in equity, the Group and Company statements of 
financial position, the Group and Company statements of cash 
flow and notes to the financial statements, including a summary 
of significant accounting policies. The financial reporting 
framework that has been applied in the preparation of the group 
financial statements is applicable law and International Financial 
Reporting Standards (IFRSs) as adopted by the European Union 
and, as regards the parent company financial statements, as 
applied in accordance with the provisions of the Companies 
Act 2006. 

In our opinion:
 » the financial statements give a true and fair view of the 

state of the group’s and of the parent company’s affairs as 
at 31 December 2018 and of the group’s loss for the year 
then ended;

 » the group financial statements have been properly prepared 
in accordance with IFRSs as adopted by the European Union;
 » the parent company financial statements have been properly 

prepared in accordance with IFRSs as adopted by the 
European Union and as applied in accordance with the 
provisions of the Companies Act 2006; and 

 » the financial statements have been prepared in accordance 

with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006.

45

Basis for opinion
We conducted our audit in accordance with International 
Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our 
responsibilities under those standards are further described 
in the ‘Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial 
statements’ section of our report. We are independent of the 
group and the parent company in accordance with the ethical 
requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial 
statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard as 
applied to listed entities, and we have fulfilled our other ethical 
responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We 
believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient 
and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Conclusions relating to going concern
We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in 
relation to which the ISAs (UK) require us to report to you where:

 » the directors’ use of the going concern basis of accounting in 
the preparation of the financial statements is not appropriate; 
or

 » the directors have not disclosed in the financial statements 

any identified material uncertainties that may cast significant 
doubt about the group’s or the parent company’s ability to 
continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting for 
a period of at least twelve months from the date when the 
financial statements are authorised for issue.

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018FINANCIAL STATEMENTSCORPORATE GOVERNANCESTRATEGIC REPORT46

Independent Auditor’s report  
to the members of Mpac Group plc  
continued

Overview of our audit approach
 » Overall materiality: £150,000, which represents approximately 10% of group’s profit before tax before non 

underlying items.

 » Key audit matters were identified as Improper revenue recognition and contract accounting, Contract costs and 

provisioning, Valuation of defined benefit pension scheme and Hedge accounting.

 » We performed full scope audit procedures on the financial statements of both components in the United 

Kingdom and GT member firms performed full scope work over the significant components in Netherlands and 
Canada. We performed analytical procedures over the component in Singapore.

Key audit matters
The graph below depicts the audit risks identified and their relative significance based on the extent of the financial statement 
impact and the extent of management judgement. 

High

Potential 
financial 
statement 
impact

Low

Improper 
revenue 
recognition 
and contract 
accounting

Contract 
costs and 
provisioning

Valuation of 
defined benefit 
pension scheme

Hedge
accounting

Transition to 
and implementation 
of IFRS 15

Management 
override of 
controls

Valuation 
and accuracy 
of inventory

Capitalised 
development 
costs

Inventory 
existence

Low

Extent of management judgment

High

Key audit matter

Significant risk

Other risk

Key audit matters are those matters that, in our professional judgment, were of most significance in our audit of the financial 
statements of the current period and include the most significant assessed risks of material misstatement (whether or not due 
to fraud) that we identified. These matters included those that had the greatest effect on: the overall audit strategy, the allocation 
of resources in the audit; and directing the efforts of the engagement team. These matters were addressed in the context of our 
audit of the financial statements as a whole, and in forming our opinion thereon, and we do not provide a separate opinion on 
these matters.

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 201847

Key Audit Matter – Group

How the matter was addressed in the audit – Group

Improper revenue recognition and contract accounting
Revenue is recognised throughout the group as the fair 
value of consideration received or receivable in respect of the 
performance of contracts and the sale of spares and services. 

Determining the amount of revenue to be recognised from 
the performance of contracts requires management to 
make significant judgements and estimates as to the stage 
of completion, the costs to complete, the impact of any changes 
in scope of work and the recoverability of contract assets and 
receivables balances.

There is a significant financial statement impact of the revenue 
derived from sales of spares and services and performance of 
contracts, as well as the high level of estimation required in 
determining the appropriate accounting treatment on contract 
accounting. There is also a risk of fraud/improper revenue 
recognition within these revenue streams.

We therefore identified improper revenue recognition and 
contract accounting as a significant risk, which was one of the 
most significant assessed risks of material misstatement.

Our audit work included, but was not restricted to: 
 » documenting our understanding of management’s process 
for evaluating revenue recognition and assessing the design 
effectiveness of related key controls;

 » judgementally selecting contracts by reference to materiality 
and other risk factors including loss making contracts and 
contracts with significant profit and loss balance, contract 
assets and receivables balances;

 » for contracts selected for testing, assessing whether the 
revenue and profit recognised are in accordance with the 
group’s accounting policies and International Financial 
Reporting Standard (IFRS) 15 ‘Revenue from contracts with 
customers’. This is by agreeing inputs to contract terms, 
re-performing management’s calculations and challenging 
management’s assumptions and assertions underpinning 
their forecast for contracts’ future performance. We have 
done this by reference to supporting documentation, such as 
contracts KPIs, historical performance against forecasts, and 
discussions with key contract accounting personnel;
 » investigating the recoverability of contract assets and 

receivables for a sample of contracts by reference to post 
report date collection; 

 » examining those contracts management identified as being 
at risk of incurring future losses during the remaining life of 
the contract, and challenging management’s assumptions 
and assertions relating to the future results of those 
contracts by reference to supporting evidence, such as 
forecast models and post statement of financial position 
contract performance; and

 » testing a sample of non-contract revenue transactions, 
covering both spares and service sales, agreeing items 
selected for testing through to document to 
support occurrence.

 » The group’s accounting policy on long term contracts is 

shown on pages 63 and 64 of the financial statements and 
related disclosures are included in note 1. 

Key observations
Based on our audit work, we found that the assumptions and 
judgements used in management’s application of the group’s 
contract accounting was appropriate. We found no significant 
errors in the underlying calculations for the contract samples 
we have tested.

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018FINANCIAL STATEMENTSCORPORATE GOVERNANCESTRATEGIC REPORT48

Independent Auditor’s report  
to the members of Mpac Group plc  
continued

Key Audit Matter – Group

How the matter was addressed in the audit – Group

Valuation of defined benefit pension scheme
UK pension scheme 
The Group operates a defined benefit pension scheme in the 
UK that provides benefits to a number of current and former 
employees. At 31 December 2018, the defined benefit asset was 
£20.5 million. The total fair (bid) value of scheme assets and 
present value of defined benefit obligations which form the net 
asset amount to £398.2 million and £377.7 million respectively. 

The valuation of the pension liabilities and assets in accordance 
with IAS 19 ‘Employee benefits’ involves significant judgement 
and is subject to complex actuarial assumptions. Small variations 
in those actuarial assumptions can lead to a materially different 
defined benefit pension scheme asset or liability being 
recognised within the group financial statements. 

The impact of the equalisation of Guaranteed Minimum 
Pensions (GMPs) on the accounting for the defined benefit 
pension scheme also requires to be considered by management 
and their expert. 

Management also need to interpret the scheme rules in order to 
assess whether it is appropriate to recognise a pension surplus 
within the provisions of IFRIC 14, The Limit on a Defined Benefit 
Asset, Minimum Funding Requirements and their Interaction.

We therefore identified valuation of the UK defined benefit 
pension scheme as a significant risk, which was one of the 
most significant assessed risks of material misstatement.

Our audit work included, but was not restricted to: 
 » documenting our understanding of management’s process 
for evaluating the defined benefit pension scheme and 
assessing the design effectiveness of related key controls;

 » evaluating the competence of management’s expert
 » using an internal actuarial expert to inform our challenge of 

the assumptions used, including discount rates, growth rates, 
mortality rates and the calculation methods employed in the 
calculation of the pension liability;

 » testing the accuracy of underlying membership data used by 
the group’s actuary for the purpose of calculating the scheme 
liabilities by selecting a sample of employees and agreeing 
key member data to source records and by testing a sample 
of movements in the pension scheme membership; 
 » using the work of our internal actuarial expert to assess 
the accuracy of the GMP impact calculation and the 
appropriateness of the accounting treatment in the accounts

 » directly confirming the existence of the pension scheme 
assets with the group’s pension scheme’s external asset 
managers; and

 » assessing whether the recognition of the pension scheme 
surplus is appropriate in accordance with the requirements 
of IFRIC 14, The Limit on a Defined Benefit Asset, Minimum 
Funding Requirements and their Interaction.

The group’s accounting policy on the defined benefit pension 
scheme is shown on page 65 to the financial statements and 
related disclosures are included in note 24. 

Key observations
Based on our audit work, we found the valuation methodologies 
to be balanced and consistent with the expectation of our 
internal actuarial expert and the recognition of the asset to be 
appropriate in line with IFRIC 14. We consider that the group’s 
disclosures in note 24 are in accordance with IAS 19. We found 
no significant errors in the calculations we tested.

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 201849

Key Audit Matter – Group

How the matter was addressed in the audit – Group

Contract costs and provisioning 
Given the materiality of the amounts involved, and a degree 
of estimation involved there is a risk that contract costs and 
provisioning are not complete or valued properly.

The Directors are required to make an assessment to determine 
whether onerous contract provisions are required for loss 
making contracts. There are a number of contracts which have 
historically not met expectations and there is a risk that the 
provisions recognised may not be sufficient.

We therefore identified contract costs and provisioning as a 
significant risk, which was one of the most significant assessed 
risks of material misstatement.

Our audit work included, but was not restricted to: 
 » agreeing costs incurred to date to supporting documentation 

and assess the forecast costs to complete for a sample 
of contracts.

 » comparing gross margin as at the statement of financial 

position date to gross margin in the month following the year 
end to consider whether the cost accruals for the contract 
were sufficient for a sample of contracts.

 » where losses are being incurred, assessing whether the 

loss provision is adequate by challenging project managers, 
obtaining evidence from outside of the finance function and 
assessing management’s historic ability to forecast loss-
making positions for a sample of contracts. 

The group’s accounting policy on contract costs and 
provisioning is shown on page 64 to the financial statements. 

Key observations
Based on our audit work, we did not identify any material 
misstatement in the contract costs recognised in the year 
to 31 December 2018.

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018FINANCIAL STATEMENTSCORPORATE GOVERNANCESTRATEGIC REPORT50

Independent Auditor’s report  
to the members of Mpac Group plc  
continued

Key Audit Matter – Group

How the matter was addressed in the audit – Group

Hedge accounting
The Group applies cash flow hedge accounting to forward 
foreign exchange and swap contracts, to help reduce the 
exposure to movements in the future value of foreign currency 
receipts and payments.

There is a risk that the hedge accounting applied is incorrect and 
the documentation maintained is insufficient to meet the 
requirements of IFRS 9. 

The Directors are required to make an assessment to determine 
whether the hedge relationship is effective. 

Derivative liabilities recognised as of 31 December 2018 and 
2017 amounted to £0.8m (2017: derivative assets of £0.3m) as 
per note 26.

The effective portion of changes in fair value of cash flow 
hedges recognised in Other comprehensive income amounts to 
£1m (2017: £0.4m). Hedging reserve presented within equity 
totals a negative £0.8m (2017: negative £0.2m).

Our audit work included, but was not restricted to:
 » Obtaining a schedule of forward and swap contracts in place 
and agreeing a sample through to supporting contracts.
 » directly confirming the contracts valuation at statement of 
financial position date to third party bank confirmation

 » using financial instruments specialist, we have evaluated the 
documentation maintained and management’s assessment 
of the ineffectiveness/effectiveness of the 
hedging relationships

 » testing a sample of contracts to third party confirmation to 
recalculate the fair value at statement of financial position 
date; and

 » evaluating the accounting treatment and disclosure for 

appropriate treatment in line with IFRS 9, 
Financial instruments.

The group’s accounting policy hedge accounting is shown on 
page 65 of the financial statements and related disclosures are 
included in note 26. 

We therefore identified hedge accounting as a significant risk, 
which was one of the most significant assessed risks of 
material misstatement.

Key observations
Based on our audit work, we did not identify any material 
misstatement in the hedge accounting as at 31 December 2018. 

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018 
51

Our application of materiality
We define materiality as the magnitude of misstatement in the financial statements that makes it probable that the economic 
decisions of a reasonably knowledgeable person would be changed or influenced. We use materiality in determining the nature, 
timing and extent of our audit work and in evaluating the results of that work. 

Materiality was determined as follows:

Materiality Measure

Group

Parent

Financial statements as a whole

Performance materiality used to drive 
the extent of our testing

£150,000 which is represents 
approximately 10% of group’s profit 
before tax before non underlying items. 
This benchmark is considered the most 
appropriate because this is a key 
performance measure used by the Board 
of Directors to report to investors on the 
financial performance of the group. 

£105,000 which represents 
approximately 8% of profit before tax. 
This benchmark is considered the most 
appropriate because this is a key 
performance measure used by the Board 
of Directors to report to investors on the 
financial performance of the 
parent company. 

Based on our risk assessment, including 
the group’s overall control environment, 
we determined a performance materiality 
of 75% of the financial 
statement materiality.  

Based on our risk assessment, 
including the company’s overall 
control environment, we determined a 
performance materiality of 75% of the 
financial statement materiality. 

Specific materiality

We determined a lower level of 
materiality for director’s remuneration 
and related party transactions.

We determined a lower level of 
materiality for director’s remuneration 
and related party transactions.

Communication of misstatements to 
the audit committee

£7,500 and misstatements below that 
threshold that, in our view, warrant 
reporting on qualitative grounds.

£5,250 and misstatements below that 
threshold that, in our view, warrant 
reporting on qualitative grounds.

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018FINANCIAL STATEMENTSCORPORATE GOVERNANCESTRATEGIC REPORT52

Independent Auditor’s report  
to the members of Mpac Group plc  
continued

The graph below illustrates how performance materiality interacts with our overall materiality and the tolerance for potential 
uncorrected misstatements.

Overall materiality – group

Overall materiality – parent

25%

25%

 Tolerance for potential 
uncorrected mistatements

  Performance materiality

75%

75%

An overview of the scope of our audit
Our audit approach was a risk-based approach founded on a thorough understanding of the group’s business, its environment and 
risk profile. The components of the group were identified by the group audit team based on a measure of materiality, considering 
each as a percentage of the group’s revenues and operating profit, to assess the significance of the component and determine the 
planned audit response.

An audit of the financial statements for all significant components was determined based on their relative materiality to the group 
and our assessment of the audit risk. 

We performed a full scope audit of the financial statements of the parent company, Mpac Group plc and Mpac Overseas Holdings 
Limited located in Coventry in the United Kingdom, and of all other significant component entities in the Mississauga in Canada and 
Wijchen in Netherlands. The significant components represented 97.7 percent of consolidated revenues. 

The non-significant component in Singapore was subject to analytical procedures at a group over their financial performance and 
position after taking into account the risks identified above and the significance of the component to the Group. 

Other information
The directors are responsible for the other information. The other information comprises the information included in the annual 
report, other than the financial statements and our auditor’s report thereon. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover 
the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance 
conclusion thereon. 

In connection with our audit of the financial statements, our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider 
whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the audit or 
otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we 
are required to determine whether there is a material misstatement in the financial statements or a material misstatement of the 
other information. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other 
information, we are required to report that fact. 

We have nothing to report in this regard.

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018 
53

Our opinion on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006 is unmodified
In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit:

 » the information given in the strategic report and the directors’ report for the financial year for which the financial statements 

are prepared is consistent with the financial statements; and

 » the strategic report and the directors’ report have been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.

Matters on which we are required to report under the Companies Act 2006
In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the group and the parent company and its environment obtained in the course 
of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the strategic report or the directors’ report. 

Matters on which we are required to report by exception
We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report 
to you if, in our opinion:

 » adequate accounting records have not been kept by the parent company, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received 

from branches not visited by us; or

 » the parent company financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or
 » certain disclosures of directors’ remuneration specified by law are not made; or
 » we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit. 

Responsibilities of directors for the financial statements
As explained more fully in the statement of directors’ responsibilities, the directors are responsible for the preparation of the financial 
statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the directors determine is 
necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

In preparing the financial statements, the directors are responsible for assessing the group’s and the parent company’s ability 
to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of 
accounting unless the directors either intend to liquidate the group or the parent company or to cease operations, or have no 
realistic alternative but to do so.

Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material 
misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is 
a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material 
misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, 
they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.

A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements is located on the Financial Reporting Council’s 
website at: www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditor’s report.

Use of our report
This report is made solely to the company’s members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. 
Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the company’s members those matters we are required to state to 
them in an auditor’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility 
to anyone other than the company and the company’s members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we 
have formed.

Rebecca Eagle
Senior Statutory Auditor
for and on behalf of Grant Thornton UK LLP
Statutory Auditor, Chartered Accountants
Birmingham, UK
4 March 2019

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018FINANCIAL STATEMENTSCORPORATE GOVERNANCESTRATEGIC REPORT54

Consolidated income statement
for the year ended 31 December 2018

Note

Underlying 
£m

2018

Non- 
underlying 
£m

Revenue

Cost of sales

Gross profit

Other income

Distribution expenses

Administrative expenses

Other operating expenses

Operating profit/(loss)

Financial income

Financial expenses

Net financing (expense)/ income

Profit/(loss) before tax

Taxation

Profit/(loss) for the period from 
continuing operations

(Loss)/profit for the period from 
discontinued operations

Profit/(loss) for the period

Earnings/(loss) per ordinary share

Basic

Diluted

Earnings/(loss) per ordinary share 
from continuing activities

Basic

Diluted

58.3

(44.3)

14.0

–

(5.0)

(7.2)

(0.4)

1.4

0.1

(0.1)

–

1.4

(0.5)

0.9

–

0.9

1

2

3

1,4

8

8

9

30

11

11

11

11

 Total 
£m

58.3

(44.3)

14.0

–

(5.0)

(16.2)

(0.4)

(7.6)

0.3

(0.1)

0.2

(7.4)

1.4

–

–

–

–

–

(9.0)

–

(9.0)

0.2

–

0.2

(8.8)

1.9

(6.9)

(6.0)

–

(6.9)

–

(6.0)

(30.1)p

(30.1)p

(30.1)p

(30.1)p

 Underlying 
£m

53.4

(38.9)

14.5

–

(5.4)

(7.3)

(0.5)

1.3

–

(0.2)

(0.2)

1.1

(0.3)

0.8

–

0.8

2017

Non- 
underlying 
£m

–

–

–

4.8

–

(1.5)

–

3.3

0.2

(0.3)

(0.1)

3.2

(1.6)

 Total 
£m

53.4

(38.9)

14.5

4.8

(5.4)

(8.8)

(0.5)

4.6

0.2

(0.5)

(0.3)

4.3

(1.9)

1.6

2.4

(0.8)

0.8

(0.8)

1.6

8.4p

8.4p

12.2p

12.1p

The Group has initially applied IFRS15 using the cumulative method. Under this method, the comparative information is not restated.  
See Accounting Policies note on page 60. 

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018Statements of comprehensive income
for the year ended 31 December 2018

Profit/(loss) for the period

Other comprehensive income/(expense)

Items that will not be reclassified to profit or loss

Actuarial gains/(losses)

Tax on items that will not be reclassified to profit or loss

Items that may be reclassified subsequently to profit or loss

Currency translation movements arising on foreign currency net 
investments

Translation reserve recycled on disposal

Effective portion of changes in fair value of cash flow hedges

Tax on items that may be reclassified to profit or loss

Other comprehensive income/(expense) for the period

Total comprehensive income/(expense) for the period

Note

24

 9

Group

Company

2018 
£m

(6.0)

2017
 £m

1.6

8.3

(2.9) 

5.4

(0.6)

–

(1.0)

–

(1.6)

3.8

(2.2)

9.1

(3.2)

5.9

 0.6

(1.1)

 0.4

–

(0.1)

 5.8

 7.4

2018
 £m

(5.2)

8.5

(2.9)

5.6

–

–

 (0.1)

–

(0.1)

5.5

 0.3

55

2017
 £m

(1.6)

9.2

 (3.2)

6.0

 –

–

 0.1

–

0.1

6.1

 4.5

The Group has initially applied IFRS15 using the cumulative method. Under this method, the comparative information is not restated.  
See Accounting Policies note on page 60. 

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018FINANCIAL STATEMENTSCORPORATE GOVERNANCESTRATEGIC REPORT56

Statements of changes in equity
for the year ended 31 December 2018

 Share 
capital 
£m

Share 
premium 
£m

Translation 
reserve 
£m

Group

Capital 
redemption 
reserve
 £m

Hedging 
reserve
 £m

Retained 
earnings
 £m

Total
 equity 
£m

Balance at 
1 January 2017

Profit for the period

Translation reserve 
recycled on disposal

Other comprehensive 
income for the period

Total comprehensive 
(expense)/income for 
the period

Balance at 
31 December 2017

Profit for the period

Other comprehensive 
income for the period

Total comprehensive 
income/ (expense) for 
the period

Balance at 
31 December 2018

5.0

26.0

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

5.0

26.0

–

–

–

–

–

–

2.2

–

(1.1)

0.6

(0.5)

1.7

–

(0.6)

(0.6)

–

–

–

–

3.9

–

–

–

3.9

(0.2)

(1.5)

1.6

–

–

0.4

5.9

35.4

1.6

(1.1)

6.9

0.4

0.2

–

7.5

7.4

6.0

(6.0)

42.8

(6.0)

(1.0)

5.4

3.8

(1.0)

(0.6)

(2.2)

5.0

26.0

1.1

3.9

(0.8)

5.4

40.6

The Group has initially applied IFRS15 using the cumulative method. Under this method, the comparative information is not restated.  
See Accounting Policies note on page 60.

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 201857

 Share
 capital
 £m

 Share 
premium 
£m

 Translation 
reserve
 £m

5.0

26.0

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

5.0

26.0

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

5.0

26.0

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

Company

Capital 
redemption 
reserve
£m

3.9

–

–

–

–

–

3.9

–

–

–

–

Hedging 
reserve 
£m

 Retained 
earnings 
£m

(0.1)

–

24.4

(1.6)

 Total
 equity
 £m

59.2

(1.6)

0.1

6.0 

6.1

 0.1

4.4

4.5

–

–

–

–

(0.1)

(0.1)

–

–

28.8

(5.2)

5.6 

0.4

–

–

63.7

(5.2)

5.5

0.3

–

–

–

3.9

(0.1)

29.2

64.0

Balance at 
1 January 2017

Loss for the period

Other comprehensive 
(expense)/income for 
the period

Total comprehensive 
(expense)/income for 
the period

Dividends to 
shareholders

Total transactions with 
owners, recorded 
directly in equity

Balance at 
31 December 2017

Loss for the period

Other comprehensive 
income for the period

Total comprehensive 
income for the period

Total transactions with 
owners, recorded 
directly in equity

Balance at 
31 December 2018

The Group has initially applied IFRS15 using the cumulative method. Under this method, the comparative information is not restated.  
See Accounting Policies note on page 60.

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018FINANCIAL STATEMENTSCORPORATE GOVERNANCESTRATEGIC REPORT58

Statements of financial position
as at 31 December 2018

Non-current assets

Intangible assets

Property, plant and equipment

Investment property

Investments

Other receivables

Employee benefits

Deferred tax assets 

Current assets

Inventories

Trade and other receivables

Contract Assets

Current tax assets

Cash and cash equivalents

Current liabilities

Trade and other payables

Contract Liabilities

Current tax liabilities

Provisions

Net current assets/(liabilities)

Total assets less current liabilities

Non-current liabilities

Interest-bearing loans and borrowings 

Employee benefits

Deferred tax liabilities

Net assets

Equity

Issued capital

Share premium

Reserves

Retained earnings

Total equity

Note

12

13

14

15

19

24

16 

17 

19

18

10

21

22

18

10

23

20 

24

16

1

25

Group

Company

2018
£m

1.0

4.4

0.8

–

–

20.5

1.7

28.4

3.3

16.9

5.5

0.8

27.9

54.4

(14.7)

(11.6)

(0.4)

(1.1)

(27.8)

26.6

55.0

(0.9)

(6.2)

(7.3)

(14.4)

40.6

5.0

26.0

4.2

5.4

40.6

2017
 £m

0.9

4.0

0.8

–

0.8

17.6

1.7 

25.8

2.4 

19.9

–

0.1

30.3

52.7

(20.9)

–

(0.4)

(1.0)

(22.3)

30.4

56.2

(0.9) 

(6.2)

(6.3)

(13.4)

42.8

5.0

26.0

5.8

6.0

42.8

2018
 £m

0.1

1.9

0.8

47.4

–

20.5

–

70.7

0.7

5.2

0.8

0.1

17.4

24.2

2017 
£m

0.2

1.8

0.8

47.4

0.8

17.6

–

68.6

0.2

5.5

–

0.1

20.7

26.5

(22.5)

(24.1)

–

–

(0.2)

(22.7)

1.5

72.2

(0.9)

–

(7.3)

(8.2)

64.0

5.0

26.0

3.8

29.2

64.0

–

–

(0.1)

(24.2)

2.3

70.9

(0.9) 

–

(6.3)

(7.2)

63.7

5.0

26.0

3.9

28.8

63.7

The Group has initially applied IFRS15 using the cumulative method. Under this method, the comparative information is not restated.  
See Accounting Policies note on page 60. The parent company has taken the exemption conferred by s.408 of the Companies Act 
2006 not to publish the income statement of the parent company with these consolidated accounts. The parent company loss for 
the year was £5.2m (2017: £1.6m). 

These financial statements were approved by the directors on 4 March 2019 and signed on their behalf by:

Tony Steels 
Director   

William Wilkins
Director 

Registered number: 124855

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018Statements of cash flow
for the year ended 31 December 2018

Operating activities

Operating profit/(loss) from continuing operations

Non-underlying items included in operating profit

Amortisation

Depreciation

Profit on sale of property, plant & equipment

Other non-cash items

Pension payments

Working capital movements:

– (increase) / decrease in inventories

– (increase) / decrease in contract assets

– (increase) / decrease in trade and other receivables

– Increase / (decrease) in trade and other payables

– Increase / (decrease in provisions

– increase / (decrease) in contract liabilities

Cash flows from continuing operations before reorganisation

Cash flows from discontinued operations

Reorganisation costs paid

Cash flows from operations

Taxation paid

Cash flows from operating activities

Interest received

Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment 

Capitalised development expenditure

Acquisition of property, plant and equipment

Net proceeds on disposal of discontinued operations

Dividends received from group entities

Net cash flow from discontinued operations

Cash flows from investing activities

Financing activities

Interest paid

Purchase of own shares

Net decrease against revolving facilities

Dividends paid

Cash flows from financing activities

Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents at 1 January

Effect of exchange rate fluctuations on cash held

Cash and cash equivalents at 31 December

59

Group

2018 
£m

Company

2017
 £m

2018
 £m

2017
£m

Note

12

13

18

18

30

12

13

30

25

21

(7.6)

9.0

0.2

0.6

–

–

(3.0)

1.7

(1.3)

(1.3)

(1.4)

0.1

4.1

1.1

–

(1.0)

0.1

(1.0)

(0.9)

0.1

0.1

(0.3)

(1.1)

–

–

–

(1.2)

(0.1)

–

–

–

(0.1)

(2.2)

30.3

(0.2)

27.9

4.6

1.5

0.3

0.6

(4.8)

–

(4.9)

0.7 

–

(6.4)

3.1

(0.1)

–

(5.4)

4.4

(0.8)

(1.8)

(0.3)

(2.1)

–

6.8

(0.1)

(1.6)

25.9

–

(0.3)

30.7

(0.2)

(0.1)

(7.0)

–

(7.3)

21.3

8.7

0.3

30.3

(8.3)

8.3

–

0.1

–

–

(2.1)

0.8

–

0.3

–

–

(1.9)

(4.2)

(0.5)

(0.7)

1.2

(1.9)

0.1

–

(3.6)

(1.0)

(0.4)

(5.0)

0.1

(4.9)

0.1

–

–

(0.2)

–

1.8

–

1.7

(0.1)

–

–

–

(0.1)

(3.3)

20.7

–

17.4

0.2

–

(1.8)

9.9

(0.2)

–

2.9

(2.9)

(0.2)

(0.2)

–

(0.2)

–

–

–

(0.1)

25.9

–

(0.3)

25.5

(0.2)

(0.1)

(7.0)

–

(7.3)

18.0

2.7

–

20.7

The Group has initially applied IFRS15 using the cumulative method. Under this method, the comparative information is not restated. 
See Accounting Policies note on page 60. 

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018FINANCIAL STATEMENTSCORPORATE GOVERNANCESTRATEGIC REPORT60

Accounting policies

The significant accounting policies which are set out below 
apply to both the Group and Company financial statements, 
as appropriate.

Basis of accounting 
Mpac Group plc (the Company) is a company incorporated and 
domiciled in the UK. The Group financial statements consolidate 
those of the Company and its subsidiaries (together referred to 
as the Group).

Both the Company financial statements and the Group financial 
statements have been prepared and approved by the directors 
in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards 
as adopted by the EU (Adopted IFRSs).

The financial statements have been prepared on the historical 
cost basis except that derivative financial instruments, 
principally forward foreign exchange contracts, are stated at fair 
value and non-current assets are stated at the lower of previous 
carrying amount and fair value less costs to sell.

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with 
Adopted IFRS requires the directors to make judgements, 
estimates and assumptions that affect the application of 
policies and reported amounts of assets, liabilities, income 
and expenses. The estimates and assumptions are based on 
historical experience and other factors considered reasonable 
at the time, but actual results may differ from these estimates. 
Revisions to these estimates are made in the period in which 
they are recognised.

The accounting policies, presentation and methods of 
computation applied by the Group and Company in these 
financial statements are in the main consistent with those 
applied in the 2017 financial statements. 

The Group has initially adopted IFRS 15 Revenue from Contracts 
with Customers and IFRS 9 Financial Instruments from 1 January 
2018. The effect of initially applying these standards is mainly 
attributed to additional disclosures. A number of other new 
standards are effective from 1 January 2018 but they do not 
have a material effect on the Group’s financial statements.

IFRS 15 Revenue from Contracts with Customers
IFRS 15 establishes a comprehensive framework for 
determining whether, how much and when revenue is 
recognised. It replaces IAS 18 Revenue, IAS 11 Construction 
Contracts and related interpretations.

The Group has adopted IFRS 15 using the cumulative effect 
method with the effect of initially applying this standard 
recognised at the date of initial application i.e. 1 January 2018. 
Accordingly, the information presented for 2017 has not been 
restated and is presented, as previously reported, under IAS 18, 
IAS 11 and related interpretations.

Adjustments were required in relation to: 

1.  Contract Asset / Liability: The difference between the 
revenue recognised and the contract billings has been 
reclassified to become a contract asset / liability on the 
balance sheet whereas previously this was reflected within 
‘trade and other receivables’ / ‘trade and other payables’ in 
the balance sheet. This reflects the change in presentation 
required under IFRS 15.

2.  Work in Progress: Where parts have been purchased in 

advance of being utilised on a machine build, these are no 
longer held as work in progress and become part of the 
company’s inventory until they are used.

There has been no change in the income statement or cash flow 
as a result of applying IFRS 15. This is due to contract related 
revenue being recognised over time under IFRS 15, for which 
Mpac meet the criteria as the asset being produced does not 
have an alternative use and Mpac has an enforceable right to 
payment for the performance completed to date.

Following the adoption of IFRS 15 from 1 January 2018 the 
following expedients have been or will be used:

 » The Group applies the practical expedient in paragraph 121 of 
IFRS 15 and does not disclose information about remaining 
performance obligations that have original expected 
durations of one year or less;

 » The Group applies the practical expedient in paragraph 94 of 
IFRS 15 and recognises the incremental costs of obtaining 
contracts as an expense when incurred if the amortisation 
period of the asset that the Group otherwise would have 
recognised is one year or less;

 » The Group’s contract with customers are, in the main, for one 
year or less, accordingly the Group applies the practical 
expedient in paragraph 63 of IFRS 15 and does not adjust the 
promised amount of consideration for the effects of any 
financing component.

IFRS9 – Financial Instruments
IFRS 9 is effective for accounting periods beginning on or 
after 1 January 2018. IFRS 9 replaces the classification and 
measurement models for financial instruments in IAS 39. The 
Group has assessed its balance sheet assets in accordance with 
the new classification requirements. There has been no change 
in the classification and measurement for any of the Group’s 
financial assets or liabilities.

In addition, IFRS 9 introduces an ‘expected loss’ model for the 
assessment of impairment of financial assets. The ‘incurred 
loss’ model under IAS 39 required the Group to recognise 
impairment losses when there was objective evidence that an 
asset was impaired. Under the expected loss model, impairment 
losses are recorded if there is an expectation of credit losses, 
even in the absence of a default event. However, as permitted 
by IFRS 9, the Group applies the ‘simplified approach’ to trade 

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 201861

receivable balances. Due to the general quality and short-term 
nature of the trade receivables, there is no significant impact 
on the introduction of the ‘simplified approach’. 

included within the cash flow hedge reserve in equity. Any 
ineffectiveness in the hedge relationship is recognised 
immediately in profit or loss.

The Group applies the hedge accounting requirements under 
IFRS 9 and its hedging activities are discussed in Note 26 of 
these 2018 annual report and accounts, with movements on 
hedging reserves disclosed on consolidated statement of 
changes in equity. The Group’s existing hedging arrangements 
have been assessed as compliant with IFRS 9.

The adoption of IFRS 9 from 1 January 2018 does not have a 
material impact on the Group’s reported results.

Derivative Financial Instruments
The Group’s derivative financial instruments are measured at 
fair value and are summarised below:

The Group uses forward foreign exchange contracts to mitigate 
exchange rate exposure arising from forecast rade receivables 
in currencies other than the functional currency of the 
operating entity. 

Hedge effectiveness is determined at inception of the hedge 
relationship and at every reporting period end through the 
assessment of the hedged items and hedging instrument to 
determine whether there is still an economic relationship 
between the two.

The critical terms of the foreign currency forwards entered into 
exactly match the terms of the terms of the hedged item. 

Hedge ineffectiveness may arise if the critical terms of the 
forecast transaction no longer meet those of the hedging 
instrument, for example if there was a change in the timing of 
the forecast transactions from what was initially estimated.

The hedged items and the hedging instrument are denominated 
in the same currency and as a result the hedging ratio is always 
one to one. All forward exchange contracts had been designated 
as hedging instruments in cash flow hedges under IAS 39. All 
hedging relationships that were hedging relationships under 
IAS 39 at the 31 December 2017 reporting date meet the IFRS 
9’s criteria for hedge accounting at 1 January 2018 and are 
therefore regarded as continuing hedging relationships.

All derivative financial instruments used for hedge accounting 
are recognised initially at fair value and reported subsequently 
at fair value in the statement of financial position.

To the extent that the hedge is effective, changes in the fair 
value of derivatives designated as hedging instruments in cash 
flow hedges are recognised in other comprehensive income and

At the time the hedged item affects profit or loss, any gain or 
loss previously recognised in other comprehensive income is 
reclassified from equity to profit or loss and presented as a 
reclassification adjustment within other comprehensive income.

If a forecast transaction is no longer expected to occur, any 
related gain or loss recognised in other comprehensive income 
is transferred immediately to profit or loss. If the hedging 
relationship ceases to meet the effectiveness conditions, hedge 
accounting is discontinued, and the related gain or loss is held in 
the equity reserve until the forecast transaction occurs.

Non-underlying items and alternative performance measures
Non-underlying items are income and expenditure that, 
because of the nature of the item, merit separate presentation 
in the income statement to allow a better understanding of the 
Group’s financial performance by facilitating comparisons with 
prior periods and assessments of trends in 
financial performance.

Non-underlying items may include, but are not limited to, the 
impact on the income statement of the Group’s defined benefit 
pension schemes including administration charges and pension 
interest, significant reorganisation costs, profits or losses arising 
on discontinued operations, significant impairments of tangible 
or intangible assets and related taxation. Accordingly, alternative 
performance measures, which exclude non-underlying items, are 
presented to aid interpretation of performance. Further analysis 
of the items included in non-underlying items is provided in note 5 
to the financial statements.

Recent accounting developments
At the date of this report the only standard relevant to the Group 
and Company, which has not been applied in this report, was in 
issue but not yet effective:

IFRS 16 Leases – the standard, which will be adopted for the year 
ending 31 December 2019, will supersede IAS 17 Leases which 
the Group and Company currently adhere to. 

The expected impact of the adoption of the standard is for 
lessee operating leases currently not recognised on the balance 
sheet to become an on-balance sheet liability together with a 
right-of-use asset. In addition, the standard potentially alters 
the pattern of expense with interest and lease payments being 
charged to the income statement and the right-of-use asset 
being depreciated in accordance with IAS 16 Property, Plant 
and Equipment.

It is not yet practicable to quantify the effect of IFRS 16 on these 
consolidated financial statements.

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018FINANCIAL STATEMENTSCORPORATE GOVERNANCESTRATEGIC REPORT62

Accounting policies continued

Going concern 
The Group’s activities together with the factors likely to affect 
its future development, performance and position are described 
within the Operating review on pages 5 to 9, Financial review on 
pages 17 to 19 and in the Principal risks and uncertainties on 
pages 20 and 21.

The directors have considered the trading outlook of the Group, 
its financial position, including its cash resources and access to 
borrowings, as set out in the Financial review on pages 17 to 19 
and in note 20 to the accounts on page 80 , and its continuing 
obligations, including to its defined benefit pension schemes, 
details of which are set out in note 24 to the accounts on pages 
81 to 87. Having made due enquiries the directors have a 
reasonable expectation that the Group has adequate resources 
to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future.

For this reason, they continue to adopt the going concern basis 
in preparing the financial statements.

Basis of consolidation
The Group financial statements comprise the consolidated 
results of the Company and all of its subsidiary companies 
together with the Group’s share of the results of its associated 
companies on an equity accounting basis. A separate income 
statement dealing only with the results of the Company has not 
been presented in accordance with section 408 of the 
Companies Act 2006.

A subsidiary is a company controlled, directly or indirectly, by the 
Group. Control is the power to govern the financial and operating 
policies of the subsidiary company so as to obtain benefits from 
its activities. A subsidiary’s results are included in the Group 
financial statements from the date that control commences 
until the date that control ceases.

Intragroup balances and any unrealised gains and losses or 
income and expenses arising from intragroup transactions are 
eliminated in preparing the consolidated financial statements.

Foreign currency
Transactions in foreign currencies are translated at the foreign 
exchange rate ruling at the date of the transaction. Monetary 
assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies at the 
statement of financial position date are translated at the foreign 
exchange rate ruling at that date. Foreign exchange differences 
arising on translation are recognised in the income statement. 
Non-monetary assets and liabilities that are measured in terms 
of historical cost in a foreign currency are translated using the 
exchange rate at the date of the transaction. Non- monetary 
assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies that 
are stated at fair value are translated at foreign exchange rates 
ruling at the date the fair value was determined.

The assets and liabilities of foreign operations, including 
goodwill and fair value adjustments arising on consolidation, are 
translated at foreign exchange rates ruling at the statement of 
financial position date.

The revenues and expenses of foreign operations are translated 
at an average rate for the period where this rate approximates to 
the foreign exchange rates ruling at the dates of 
the transactions.

Exchange differences arising from the translation of foreign 
operations, and of related qualifying hedges, are taken directly 
to the translation reserve. They are released into the income 
statement upon disposal.

Goodwill
Goodwill arising on consolidation represents the excess of the 
cost of acquisition over the Group’s interest in the fair value of 
the identifiable assets and liabilities of the subsidiary or 
associated undertaking at the date of acquisition.

Goodwill is recognised as an asset and is reviewed for 
impairment at least annually. Any impairment is recognised 
immediately through the income statement and is not 
subsequently reversed. Impairment losses recognised are 
allocated first to reduce the carrying value of the goodwill the 
business relates to, and then to reduce the carrying value of 
the other assets of that business on a pro rata basis.

On disposal of a subsidiary or associated undertaking, the 
attributable amount of goodwill is included in the determination 
of the profit or loss on disposal.

Research and development 
Research and development and related product development 
costs are charged to the income statement in the year in which 
they are incurred unless they are specifically chargeable to and 
recoverable from customers under agreed contract terms or 
the expenditure meets the criteria for capitalisation.

Where the expenditure relates to the development of a new 
product for which the technical feasibility and commercial 
viability of the product is identified, where development costs 
can be measured reliably and where future economic benefits 
are probable, development costs are capitalised and amortised 
over their useful economic lives, to a maximum of five years. 
The expenditure capitalised includes costs of materials, direct 
labour and an appropriate proportion of overheads. Such 
intangible assets are assessed for indicators of impairment 
at least annually and any impairment is charged to the 
income statement.

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 201863

Other intangible assets 
Other intangible assets are valued at cost less accumulated 
amortisation and impairment charges and amortised on a 
straight-line basis over their estimated useful economic life. 
All intangible assets are tested for impairment at least annually 
and any impairment is charged to the income statement.

IFRS 15 – New accounting policies
Revenue
Revenue represents income derived from contracts for 
the provision of goods and services by the Company and 
its subsidiary undertakings to customers in exchange for 
consideration in the ordinary course of the Group’s activities.

Property, plant and equipment
Property, plant and equipment is stated at cost or deemed cost 
less accumulated depreciation and any provision for impairment 
in value.

Depreciation is provided on a straight-line basis to write-off the 
cost, less the estimated residual value, of property, plant and 
equipment over its estimated useful life.

Transaction price
At the start of the contract, the total transaction price is 
estimated as the amount of consideration to which the Group 
expects to be entitled in exchange for transferring the promised 
goods and services to the customer, excluding sales taxes. The 
transaction price does not include estimates of consideration 
resulting from contract modifications, such as change orders, 
until they have been approved by the parties to the contract. 

The annual depreciation rates used are as follows: 

– nil
Freehold land 
– 3% on cost or deemed cost 
Freehold buildings 
– over life of lease
Leasehold property 
Plant and machinery 
– 8% to 25% 
Fixtures, fittings and vehicles  – 10% to 33%

The carrying value of property, plant and equipment is reviewed 
at least annually for indicators of impairment. Any change in 
value arising from impairment is charged or credited (up to the 
carrying value prior to any previous impairment) to the income 
statement for the year.

Certain items of property that had been revalued to fair value 
on or prior to 1 January 2004, the date of transition to IFRS, are 
measured on the basis of deemed cost, being the revalued 
amount at the date of the revaluation.

Investment property 
Investment property, which is property held to earn rentals and/
or for capital appreciation, is stated at cost. Depreciation is 
based on cost less residual value. Where the expected residual 
value exceeds cost no depreciation is provided.

Investments 
Investments in subsidiary undertakings are held at cost less 
provision for any impairment in value. The carrying value of 
investments in subsidiary undertakings are reviewed at least 
annually for indicators of impairment.

Inventories 
Inventories are valued at the lower of cost, including appropriate 
overheads, and net realisable value. Provisions are made against 
excess and obsolete inventories.

Revenue and profit recognition
Revenue is recognised as performance obligations are 
satisfied as control of the goods and services is transferred 
to the customer. For each performance obligation within a 
contract, the Group determines whether it is satisfied over time 
or at a point in time. Performance obligations are satisfied over 
time if one of the following criteria is satisfied:

 » the customer simultaneously receives and consumes the 

benefits provided by the Group’s performance as it performs;
 » the Group’s performance creates or enhances an asset that 
the customer controls as the asset is created or enhanced; or

 » the Group’s performance does not create an asset with an 
alternative use to the Group and it has an enforceable right 
to payment for performance completed to date.

The Group has determined that most of its contracts satisfy 
the over time criteria, as performance does not generally 
create an asset with an alternative use to the Group and it has 
an enforceable right to payment for performance completed 
to date (typically development or production contracts).

For each performance obligation to be recognised over time, 
the Group recognises revenue using an input method, based 
on labour costs incurred in the period. Revenue and attributable 
margin are calculated by reference to reliable estimates of the 
total labour hours and labour hours to be incurred, after making 
suitable allowances for technical and other risks. Revenue and 
associated margin are therefore recognised progressively as 
costs are incurred, and as risks have been mitigated or retired. 
The Group has determined that this method faithfully depicts 
the Group’s performance in transferring control of the goods 
and services to the customer.

If the over time criteria for revenue recognition are not met, 
revenue is recognised at the point in time that control is 
transferred to the customer, which is usually when legal title 
passes to the customer and the business has the right to 
payment, for example, on delivery. 

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018FINANCIAL STATEMENTSCORPORATE GOVERNANCESTRATEGIC REPORT64

Accounting policies continued

Contract modifications
The Group’s contracts are often amended for changes in 
customers’ requirements and specifications. A contract 
modification exists when the parties to the contract approve a 
modification that either changes existing or creates new 
enforceable rights and obligations. The effect of a contract 
modification on the transaction price and the Group’s measure 
of progress towards the satisfaction of the performance 
obligation to which it relates is recognised in one of the 
following ways:

1.  Prospectively as an additional, separate contract;

2.  Prospectively as a termination of the existing contract and 

creation of a new contract; or

3.  As part of the original contract using a cumulative catch up.

The majority of the Group’s contract modifications are treated 
under 3 (for example, a change in the specification of the distinct 
goods or services for a partially completed contract), although 
the facts and circumstances of any contract modification are 
considered individually as the types of modifications will vary 
contract-by-contract and may result in different 
accounting outcomes.

Costs to obtain a contract
The Group expenses pre-contract bidding costs which are 
incurred regardless of whether a contract is awarded.

The Group does not typically incur costs to obtain contracts that 
it would not have incurred had the contracts not been awarded, 
such as sales commission.

Costs to fulfil a contract
Contract fulfilment costs in respect of over time contracts are 
expensed as incurred. Contract fulfilment costs in respect of 
point in time contracts are accounted for under IAS 
2 Inventories. 

Where assets have been recognised in respect of costs to fulfil 
a contract, these are tested for impairment under IFRS15.

Inventories
Inventories includes raw materials, work-in-progress and 
finished goods recognised in accordance with IAS 2 in respect of 
contracts with customers which have been determined to fulfil 
the criteria for point in time revenue recognition under IFRS 15. 
It also includes inventories in relation to parts which have not 
been utilised as part of a contract to date but are expected to be 
used in this manner in the future. The Group does not typically 
build inventory to stock. Inventories are stated at the lower of 
cost, including all relevant overhead expenditure, and net 
realisable value. 

Contract assets
A contract asset is a right to consideration conditional on 
something other than the passage of time.

Contract liabilities
The contract liabilities represent the obligation to transfer 
goods or services to a customer for which consideration has 
been received, or consideration is due, from the customer.

Performance obligations
A small proportion of the Group’s contracts recognised over 
time comprise a variety of performance obligations, including 
but not limited to machinery, elements of design and 
customisation, installation and after-sales services. Under 
IFRS15, the Group must evaluate the separability of the 
promised goods or services based on whether they are ‘distinct’. 
A promised good or service is ‘distinct’ if both:

 » the customer benefits from the item either on its own or 
together with other readily available resources; and

 » It is separately identifiable (i.e. the Group does not provide a 
significant service integrating, modifying or customising it.

Construction contracts – Applicable to 2017 comparative 
figures only
The attributable profit recognised on construction contracts is 
based on the stage of completion and the overall contract 
profitability after taking account of uncertainties. Full provision 
is made for any estimated losses to completion of contracts.

The gross amount due from customers for contract work and 
the gross amount due to customers for contract work are shown 
within trade and other receivables and trade and other payables 
respectively. They are measured at cost plus profit recognised 
to date less deposits billed on account and recognised losses.

Cash and cash equivalents 
Cash and cash equivalents comprise cash balances and short- 
term fixed deposits, and for the statements of cash flows they 
also include bank overdrafts.

Share capital
When share capital is repurchased, the amount of consideration 
paid, including directly attributable costs, is recognised as a 
change in equity. Repurchased shares are classified as treasury 
shares and presented as a deduction from total equity.

Preference share capital is classified as a liability as dividend 
payments are not discretionary.

Dividends on the preference shares are disclosed as interest 
charges, are recognised as a liability and are accounted for on an 
accruals basis. Dividends on ordinary shares are only recognised 
in the period in which they are paid.

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 201865

Financial instruments
IFRS9 Financial instruments requires the classification 
of financial instruments into different types for which the 
accounting requirement is different. The Group has classified 
its financial instruments as follows:

 » short-term fixed deposits, principally comprising funds held 

with banks and other financial institutions;

 » trade and other receivables are held at amortised cost;
 » trade and other payables are held at amortised cost;
 » borrowings are classified as other liabilities held at amortised 

cost; and

 » derivatives, comprising forward foreign exchange contracts, 
are classified as instruments with fair value through profit 
or loss.

Financial instruments are initially measured at fair value. Their 
subsequent measurement depends on their classification:

 » loans and receivables and other liabilities are held at 

amortised cost; and

 » instruments that are held for trading are held at fair value. 
Changes in fair value are included in the income statement 
unless the instrument is included in a cash flow hedge.

Trade & other receivables and contract assets
The Group makes use of a simplified approach in accounting for 
trade & other receivables as well as contract assets, recording 
the loss allowance as lifetime expected credit losses. These are 
the expected shortfalls in contractual cash flows, considering 
the potential for default at any point during the life of the 
financial instrument. In calculating the lifetime credit losses, 
the Group uses its historical experience, external indicators and 
forward looking information to calculate the expected losses. 
Refer to Note 26 for further details.

Hedge accounting
The Group applies cash flow hedge accounting to forward 
foreign exchange contracts, held to reduce the exposure to 
movements in the future value of foreign currency receipts 
and payments.

For those contracts included in an effective cash flow hedging 
relationship, changes in the fair value of the hedging instrument 
are recognised in other comprehensive income and taken to 
equity. When the hedged forecast transaction occurs, amounts 
previously recorded in equity are recognised in the income 
statement. Any ineffectiveness in the hedging arrangement 
is included in the income statement.

Post-retirement and other employee benefits
The Group and Company account for pensions and other 
post-retirement benefits under IAS 19 Employee benefits.

For defined benefit schemes, the net obligation is calculated 
separately for each scheme by estimating the amount of future 
benefits that employees have earned in return for their service 
in the current and prior periods. The benefit is discounted to 
determine its present value, and the fair value of the schemes’ 
assets (at bid price) is deducted. The liability discount rate is 
either the yield at the statement of financial position date on AA 
credit rated bonds that have maturity dates approximating to the 
terms of the obligations or by a cash flow matching method 
reflecting the duration of the liabilities, whichever more 
accurately reflects the schemes’ pattern of cash flows. The 
calculations are performed by qualified actuaries using the 
projected unit credit method. The expense of administering the 
pension schemes and financing income/expense of the schemes 
are recognised in the income statement. Past service costs/ 
credits and curtailment costs/credits are recognised in the 
periods in which they arise. Actuarial gains and losses are 
recognised in the period in which they arise in other 
comprehensive income.

Payments to defined contribution schemes are charged to the 
income statement as incurred.

The net obligation in respect of long-term service benefits, 
other than pension plans, is the amount of the future benefit that 
employees have earned in return for their service in the current 
and prior periods. Obligations are measured at their 
present value.

Share-based payments 
The Group has applied the requirements of IFRS 2 
Share- based payments.

The Group issues equity-settled share-based payments to 
certain employees. These are measured at their fair value at the 
date of grant and are expensed on a straight-line basis over the 
vesting period, based on an estimate of the number of shares 
that will eventually vest, and adjusted for the effect of non-
market related conditions.

Charges made to the income statement in respect of share-
based payments are credited to retained earnings.

Provisions 
A provision is recognised when the Group has a legal or 
constructive obligation as a result of a past event and it is 
probable that an outflow of economic benefits will be required 
to settle the obligation.

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018FINANCIAL STATEMENTSCORPORATE GOVERNANCESTRATEGIC REPORT66

Accounting policies continued

Leases
Rentals payable under operating leases are charged to the 
income statement over the term of the lease.

Interest receivable 
Interest receivable is recognised in the income statement using 
the effective interest method as defined in IAS 39 Financial 
instruments: recognition and measurement.

Borrowing costs
Borrowing costs directly attributable to the acquisition, 
construction or production of qualifying assets are added 
to the cost of those assets.

All other borrowing costs are recognised in the income 
statement in the period in which they are incurred.

Taxation
Tax on the profit or loss for the year comprises current 
and deferred tax. Tax is recognised in the income statement 
except to the extent that it relates to items recognised in other 
comprehensive income, in which case it is recognised in the 
statements of comprehensive income, or to items recorded 
directly in equity in which case it is recorded directly in equity.

Current tax is the expected tax payable on the taxable income 
for the year, using tax rates enacted or substantively enacted at 
the statement of financial position date, and any adjustment to 
tax payable in respect of previous years.

Deferred tax is the tax expected to be payable or recoverable 
on differences between the carrying amounts of assets and 
liabilities in the financial statements and the corresponding tax 
bases used in the computation of taxable profit and is accounted 
for using the balance sheet liability method.

Deferred tax liabilities are generally recognised for all taxable 
temporary differences and deferred tax assets are recognised 
to the extent that it is probable that taxable profits will be 
available against which deductible temporary differences can 
be utilised. Such assets and liabilities are not recognised if the 
temporary difference arises from the initial recognition of 
goodwill; the initial recognition of other assets and liabilities that 
affect neither the taxable profit nor the accounting profit; and 
differences relating to investments in subsidiaries to the extent 
that they will probably not reverse in the foreseeable future.

The carrying amount of deferred tax assets is reviewed at each 
balance sheet date and reduced to the extent that it is no longer 
probable that sufficient taxable profits will be available to allow 
all or part of the asset to be recovered.

Deferred tax is calculated at the tax rates that are expected to 
apply in the period when the liability is settled or the asset is 
realised based on tax laws and rates that have been enacted or 
substantively enacted at the balance sheet date. Deferred tax 
is charged or credited to the income statement, except when 
it relates to items charged or credited in other comprehensive 
income, in which case the deferred tax is also dealt with in other 
comprehensive income.

Deferred tax assets and liabilities are offset when there is a 
legally enforceable right to set off current tax assets against 
current tax liabilities and when they relate to income taxes levied 
by the same taxation authority and the Group intends to settle 
its current tax assets and liabilities on a net basis.

Operating segments
An operating segment is a component of the Group that is 
engaged in business activities from which it may earn revenues 
and incur expenses, and for which discrete financial information 
is available. All operating segments’ results are regularly 
reviewed by the Group’s chief operating decision maker, which is 
the Board of directors, in order to assess performance and make 
decisions about the allocation of resources to each segment.

Discontinued operations
A discontinued operation is a component of the Group’s 
business that represents a separate major line of business or 
geographical area of operations that has been disposed of or 
is held for sale, or is a subsidiary acquired exclusively with a 
view to resale. Classification as a discontinued operation 
occurs upon disposal or when the operation meets the criteria 
to be classified as held for sale, if earlier. When an operation is 
classified as a discontinued operation, the comparative income 
statement is restated as if the operation has been discontinued 
from the start of the comparative period.

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018Notes to the accounts

67

1.  Revenue and Operating Segments
The Group has applied IFRS15 using the cumulative effect method and therefore the comparative information for 2017 has not been 
restated and continues to be reported under IAS18 and IAS 11. All revenue information is prepared in accordance with the Group 
accounting policies shown on pages 60 to 66.

The following is a description of the principle activities- separated by reportable segments- from which the Group generates 
its revenue. 

Original Equipment (OE)
The OE segments of the Group principally generate revenue from the make, pack, and test of high speed packaging solutions, 
first of a kind machinery and high specification automation, secondary packaging equipment and at line instrumentation solutions. 
The typical length of a contract for OE Equipment is four to twelve months. The contracts are accounted for over time unless the 
installation and commissioning consideration of the contact is a distinct performance obligation which could be undertaken by a 
third party in which case the contract is disaggregated with the equipment consideration recognised over time and the installation 
consideration is recognised at a point in time. Where contracts are recognised over time the consideration recognised is based on 
an estimate of labour costs completed at the statement of financial position date as a proportion of total expected labour costs for 
the contract. 

Service
The service segment of the Group generates revenue from sales of spare parts and providing service engineers and support 
staff customers enabling them to maximise the benefits of their high speed packaging solutions, first- of -a -kind machinery and 
high specification automation, secondary packaging equipment, end of line robotics and at line instrumentation solutions. Service 
contracts are usually short term contracts and either have a fixed price or are based on time and materials. 

The Group’s revenue reflects the basis of the Group’s management and internal reporting structure. A commentary on the 
performance of the operating segments during the year is provided in the operating review on pages 5 to 9. 

In the following table revenue is disaggregated by primary geographical market, major product lines, market sector and timing 
of revenue recognition. 

Disaggregation of Revenue from continuing operations

Market sector

Pharmaceutical

Healthcare

Food and Beverage

Other

Total

Timing of revenue recognition

Products and services transferred at a point in time

Products and services transferred over time

Total

2018 
Total
£m

5.6

13.1

32.5

7.1

58.3

14.0

44.3

58.3

2017 
Total
 £m

7.4

13.0

28.2

4.8

53.4

9.6

43.8

53.4

The Group disaggregates revenue of Original Equipment (OE) and Service together with the regional split, Americas, EMEA and 
Asia Pacific.

Information regarding the results of each operating segment is included below. Performance is measured based on underlying 
segment gross profit. Unallocated items comprise distribution and administrative expenditure. The unallocated items are excluded 
from segment profit or loss as they are not region specific.

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018FINANCIAL STATEMENTSCORPORATE GOVERNANCESTRATEGIC REPORT68

Notes to the accounts continued

1.  Revenue and Operating Segments continued
The measurement of segment assets and liabilities excludes central items that are not allocated to the regions. Unallocated items 
comprise mainly goodwill, net debt/funds, pension assets/liabilities, taxation balances and net liabilities attributable to the Group’s 
head office.

Segment capital expenditure is the total cost incurred during the year to acquire segment assets that are expected to be used for 
more than one period.

Segment information

Revenue¹

Americas

EMEA

Asia Pacific

Total

Gross profit¹

Selling, distribution and administration¹

Underlying operating profit/(loss)¹

Unallocated non-underlying items included in 
operating profit/(loss)

Operating profit/(loss)

Net financing expense

Profit/(loss) before tax from continuing operations

Americas

EMEA

Asia

Total¹

Unallocated net assets/(liabilities

Net assets – discontinued operations

Total net assets

¹  From continuing operations

OE 
£m

20.5

20.1

5.6

46.2

9.3

2018

Service 
£m

6.4

4.6

1.1

12.1

4.7

Total
 £m

26.9

24.7

6.7

58.3

14.0

(12.6)

1.4

(9.0)

(7.6)

0.2

(7.4)

OE
 £m

16.4

15.8

8.2

40.4

9.2

2017

Service 
£m

6.8

4.6

1.6

13.0

5.3

Total
 £m

23.2

20.4

9.8

53.4

14.5

(13.2)

1.3

3.3

4.6

(0.3)

4.3

2018

2017

Segment 
assets

Segment 
liabilities

Segment net 
assets

Segment 
assets

Segment 
liabilities

Segment net 
assets

19.7

9.7

0.5

29.9

(18.0)

(7.0)

(0.2)

(25.2)

1.7

2.7

0.3

4.7

35.9

–

40.6

13.5

11.1

0.3

24.9

(8.6)

(10.9)

(0.1)

(19.6)

4.9

0.2

0.2

5.3

37.2

0.3

42.8

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018Geographical information
Revenue

Continuing operations

UK

Europe (excl. UK)

Africa and Middle East

USA

Americas (excl. USA)

Asia Pacific

Non-current assets (excluding taxation balances)

UK

Canada

Rest of the world

69

2017
 %

14

24

1

35

9

17

100

By location of customer

2018 
£m

11.6

12.0

1.1

22.7

4.2

6.7

58.3

2018 
%

20

21

2

38

7

12

100

2017
 £m

7.3

12.7

0.4

18.5

4.7

9.8

53.4

By location of assets

2018
 £m

23.4

1.9

1.3

26.6

2017
 £m

21.2

1.9

1.0

24.1

Major customers 
In 2018 the Group generated 21% (2017: 22%) of revenue from two customers. The most significant customer accounted for 12% 
(2017: 12%) of Group revenue. The sales constituted both equipment and service and were spread across a number of different 
geographic regions.

2.  Other income

Profit on sale of property (included in non-underlying items)

2018 
£m

–

2017
 £m

4.8

In 2017 the Group sold its manufacturing facility at 6154 Kestrel Road, Mississauga, Ontario in December for a gross consideration of 
£6.8m. The profit on the sale of the facility was £4.8m.

3.  Other operating expenses

Research and development costs (expensed as incurred)

2018
 £m

0.4

2017
 £m

0.5

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018FINANCIAL STATEMENTSCORPORATE GOVERNANCESTRATEGIC REPORT70

Notes to the accounts continued

4.  Operating profit

Continuing operations

Operating profit is arrived at after charging:

Amortisation of capitalised development costs

Depreciation of owned assets

Cost of inventories recognised as an expense

Operating leases

– land and buildings

– other

Audit fees paid to the former auditor2 (Company £nil; 2017: £0.1m)1

Audit fees paid to the current auditor2 (Company £0.1m; 2017: £nil)

Other fees paid to the former auditor2

– tax compliance (Company £nil; 2017: £0.1m)

– tax advisory (Company £nil; 2017: £0.2m)

Other fees paid to the current auditor2

– tax compliance (Company £0.1m; 2017: £0.1m)

– tax advisory (Company £nil; 2017: £0.2m)

2018 
£m

0.2

0.6

26.2

0.6

0.2

0.1

0.2

–

–

0.1

–

2017
 £m

0.3

0.6

25.6

0.4

0.2

0.2
–

0.1

0.2

–

–

¹  From continuing operations and discontinued operations
2  The auditor changed from KPMG to Grant Thornton during the year; the fees disclosed relate to the relevant company during their tenure as auditor.

5.  Non-underlying items

Non-underlying items

Defined benefit pension scheme – Past service cost from GMP equalisation

Defined benefit pension schemes administration costs

Reorganisation costs

Abortive Acquisition costs

Profit on sale of surplus property

Net financing (expense)/income on pension scheme balances

Total non-underlying income/(expenditure) before tax

2018 
£m

(7.3)

(0.9)

(0.7)

(0.1)

 –

0.2

(8.8)

2017
 £m

–

(0.8)

(0.7)

 –

4.8

(0.1)

3.2

The group uses alternative performance measures (APM’s), in addition to those reported under IFRS, as management believe these 
measures enable the users of financial statements to assess the underlying trading performance of the business. The APM’s used 
include underlying operating profit, underlying profit before tax and underlying earnings per share. These measures are calculated 
using the relevant IFRS measure as adjusted for non-underlying income/(expenditure) listed above.

The profit before tax in 2017 is stated before the loss from discontinued operations. Cash payments of £0.1m were made in 2017 in 
respect of reorganisations in earlier periods. 

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 201871

6.  Employee information

Continuing operations

The number of persons employed by the Group was:

Americas

EMEA

Asia Pacific

Head Office (including non-executive directors and pension scheme 
administrators)

Total continuing operations

Discontinued operations

Total

Period end

Average

2018

2017

2018

2017

 72

194

12

15

293

 –

293

81

200

18

15

314

–

314

84

193

11

16

304

 –

304

85

192

16

17

310

208

518

Employment costs for the 
Group were:

Wages and salaries

Social security costs

Employee benefits

– defined contribution schemes

– equity-settled share-based 
transactions

2018

2017

Note

Continuing 
£m

Discontinued 
£m

Total
 £m

Continuing 
£m

Discontinued 
£m

Total 
£m

15.1

2.1

1.0

0.1

18.3

24

 –

 –

 –

–

 –

15.1

2.1

1.0

0.1

18.3

14.8

2.2

1.0

 –

18.0

4.4

1.2

0.2

 –

5.8

19.2

3.4

1.2

 –

23.8

7.  Emoluments of directors and interests in shares 
Information on the emoluments of the directors (page 34), together with information regarding the beneficial interests of the 
directors and persons connected with them in the ordinary shares of the Company, is included in the Remuneration report on pages 
34 and 35.

8.  Net financing expense

2018

2017

Continuing 
£m

Discontinued 
£m

Total 
£m

Continuing 
£m

Discontinued 
£m

Financial income:

Amounts receivable on cash and cash equivalents

Net interest received on pension scheme balances

Financial expenses:

Amounts payable on bank loans and overdrafts

Preference dividends paid

Interest cost on pension scheme balances

Net financing (expense)/income

0.1

0.2

0.3

–

(0.1)

–

(0.1)

0.2

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

0.1

0.2

0.3

–

(0.1)

–

(0.1)

0.2

–

0.2

0.2

(0.1)

(0.1)

(0.3)

(0.5)

(0.3)

0.1

–

0.1

–

–

–

–

0.1

Total
 £m

0.1

0.2

0.3

(0.1)

(0.1)

(0.3)

(0.5)

(0.2)

Net interest received on pension scheme balances is included in non-underlying items.

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018FINANCIAL STATEMENTSCORPORATE GOVERNANCESTRATEGIC REPORT72

Notes to the accounts continued

9.  Taxation

Continuing operations

Tax expense/(credit):

Current tax

Deferred tax

Total continuing operations

Discontinued operations

Total

2018 
£m

2017 
£m

0.5

(1.9)

(1.4)

–

(1.4)

0.3

1.6

1.9

0.2

2.1

Included within the total taxation is a tax charge of £1.9m (2017: £1.7m) attributable to the non-underlying items set out in note 5.

Reconciliation of effective tax rate

Continuing operations

Profit/(loss) before tax

Income tax using the UK corporation tax rate of 19.00% (2017: 19.25%)

Tax effect of expenses not deductible for tax purposes

Deferred tax movement on pension past service costs

Deferred tax movements on pension payments

Change in unrecognised deferred tax assets

Foreign tax charged at higher rates than UK corporation tax rate

Total (credit) / expense

2018 
£m

(7.4)

(1.4)

–

(1.1)

0.7

0.3

0.1

(1.4)

2017 
£m

4.3

0.8

(0.1)

 –

1.6

(0.5)

0.1

1.9

The main rate of UK corporation tax is 19% from 1 April 2017 and will be reduced to 17% from 1 April 2020, as enacted in the Finance 
Act 2015. The rate of deferred tax liability arising from the surplus in respect of the UK defined benefit pension scheme is 35%.

In view of probable timing of the utilisation of brought forward losses, deferred tax assets have not been recognised on tax losses 
and timing differences in respect of the Group companies in the UK and the USA.

Deferred tax credit/(charge) on items in other comprehensive (expense)/income

Arising from actuarial gains/losses

2018 
£m

2.9

2017 
£m

3.2

10.  Current tax assets and liabilities 
Current tax assets of £0.8m (2017: £0.1m) and current tax liabilities of £0.4m (2017: £0.4m) for the Group, and current tax assets of 
£0.1m (2017: £0.1m) for the Company, represent the amount of income taxes recoverable and payable in respect of current and 
prior periods.

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 201873

11.  Earnings per share
Basic earnings/(loss) per share 
The calculation of basic earnings/loss per ordinary share is based upon the loss for the year of £6.0m (2017: £1.6m profit) and the 
weighted average number of ordinary shares in issue during the year. The calculation of basic earnings/loss per ordinary share from 
continuing activities is based upon the loss for the period from continuing activities of £6.0m (2017: £2.5m profit). The weighted 
average number of shares excludes shares held by the employee trust in respect of the Company’s deferred share 
plan arrangements.

Diluted earnings/loss per share 
The calculation of diluted earnings/loss per ordinary share is based upon the loss for the year of £6.0m (2017: £1.6m profit) and the 
diluted weighted average number of ordinary shares in issue during the year. The calculation of diluted earnings/loss per ordinary 
share from continuing activities is based upon the loss for the period from continuing activities of £ 6.0m (2017: £2.5m profit). For 
diluted earnings per ordinary share, the weighted average number of shares includes the diluting effect, if any, of own shares held by 
the employee trust.

Weighted average number of ordinary shares (non-diluted) at 31 December

Effect of own shares

Weighted average number of ordinary shares (diluted) at 31 December

2018

2017

19,932,786

19,828,601

 151,008 

78,390

 20,083,794

19,906,991

In the 12 months to 31 December 2018 the effect of the dilution would be to decrease the loss per ordinary share and is therefore 
excluded from the dilution calculation.

Underlying and diluted underlying earnings per share 
Underlying earnings per ordinary share and diluted underlying earnings per ordinary share, which are calculated on profit before 
non-underlying items, amounted to 4.5p (2017: 4.2p) in respect of underlying earnings per share and 4.5p (2017: 4.1p) in respect of 
diluted underlying earnings per share.

The calculations of underlying earnings per ordinary share and diluted underlying earnings per ordinary share are based upon an 
underlying profit for the period of £0.9m (2017: £0.8m) which is calculated as follows:

Profit/(loss) for the period

Loss/(profit) for the period from discontinued operations

Non-underlying items (net of tax)

Underlying profit/(loss) for the period

2018
 £m

(6.0)

–

6.9

0.9

2017
 £m

1.6

0.8

(1.6)

0.8

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018FINANCIAL STATEMENTSCORPORATE GOVERNANCESTRATEGIC REPORT74

Notes to the accounts continued

12. Intangible assets

Cost:

Balance at 
1 January 2017

Additions

Disposals

Retranslation

Balance at 
31 December 2017

Additions

Balance at 
31 December 2018

Amortisation and 
impairment losses:

Balance at 
1 January 2017

Amortisation for 
the period

Disposals

Retranslation

Balance at 
31 December 2017

Amortisation for 
the period

Balance at 
31 December 2018

Carrying amounts:

At 31 December 2017

At 31 December 2018

Group

Company

Goodwill
 £m

Development 
costs 
£m

Other 
intangibles 
£m

 Total 
£m

 Goodwill
 £m

Development 
costs
 £m

Other 
intangibles 
£m

8.8

–

(8.7)

(0.1)

–

–

–

21.8

0.4

(18.5)

_

3.7

0.3

4.0

1.0

14.6

–

(0.9)

(0.1)

–

–

–

–

–

0.9

(12.7)

–

2.8

0.2

3.0

0.9

1.0

0.2

–

(0.2)

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

30.8

0.4

(27.4)

(0.1)

3.7

0.3

4.0

6.3

–

(6.3)

–

–

–

–

18.3

0.3

(18.1)

–

0.5

–

0.5

15.6

1.0

12.0

0.9

(13.6)

(0.1)

2.8

0.2

3.0

0.9

1.0

–

(1.0)

–

–

–

–

–

–

0.6

(12.3)

–

0.3

0.1

0.4

0.2

0.1

0.2

–

(0.2)

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

Total
£m

24.8

0.3

(24.6)

–

0.5

–

0.5

13.0

0.6

(13.3)

–

0.3

0.1

0.4

0.2

0.1

The amortisation for development costs is included in cost of sales in the Consolidated income statement.

Goodwill 
Following the disposal of the Instrumentation & Tobacco Machinery division in 2017 the carrying amount of goodwill at 31 December 
2017 and 2018 was nil. 

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 201813.  Property, plant and equipment

Group

Company

Land and 
buildings 
£m

Plant and 
machinery 
£m

Fixtures, 
fittings and 
vehicles
£m

7.6

0.1

(4.6)

–

3.1

–

–

–

3.1

2.6

0.2

(1.6)

–

1.2

0.1

–

–

1.3

1.9

1.8

11.1

1.0

(9.5)

0.2

2.8

0.5

(0.3)

–

3.0

8.7

0.4

(7.8)

0.2

1.5

0.2

(0.2)

–

1.5

1.3

1.5

8.5

0.5

(4.5)

–

4.5

0.6

–

–

5.1

7.4

0.4

(4.1)

–

3.7

0.3

–

–

4.0

0.8

1.1

Cost:

Balance at 
1 January 2017

Additions

Disposals

Retranslation

Balance at 
31 December 2017

Additions

Disposals

Retranslation

Balance at 
31 December 2018

Depreciation:

Balance at 
1 January 2017

Depreciation charge 
for the period

Disposals

Retranslation

Balance at 
31 December 2017

Depreciation charge 
for the period

Disposals

Retranslation

Balance at 
31 December 2018

Carrying amounts:

At 31 December 2017

At 31 December 2018

Land and 
buildings 
£m

Plant and 
machinery 
£m

Fixtures, 
fittings and 
vehicles
 £m

3.5

0.1

(1.0)

–

2.6

–

–

–

1.0

–

(0.7)

–

0.3

–

–

–

2.6

0.3

1.4

0.1

(0.6)

–

0.9

–

–

–

0.7

0.1

(0.5)

–

0.3

–

–

–

0.9

0.3

1.7

1.7

–

–

3.2

–

(2.2)

–

1.0

0.2

–

–

1.2

2.7

0.1

(1.9)

–

0.9

0.1

–

–

1.0

0.1

0.2

 Total 
£m

27.2

1.6

(18.6)

0.2

10.4

1.1

(0.3)

–

11.2

18.7

1.0

(13.5)

0.2

6.4

0.6

(0.2)

–

6.8

4.0

4.4

75

Total 
£m

7.7

0.1

(3.9)

–

3.9

0.2

–

–

4.1

4.8

0.3

(3.0)

–

2.1

0.1

–

–

2.2

1.8

1.9

At 31 December 2017 assets disclosed as land and buildings with a carrying value of £1.9m were used as security for bank facilities 
(2016: £4.6m). No security is currently held.

In 2017 included within the Group’s depreciation charge for the period was £0.4m in respect of discontinued operations.

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018FINANCIAL STATEMENTSCORPORATE GOVERNANCESTRATEGIC REPORT76

Notes to the accounts continued

14.  Investment property

Balance at 1 January 2017 and 31 December 2017

Balance at 31 December 2018

Group

Company

2018
£m

0.8

0.8

2017 
£m

0.8

0.8

2018
 £m

0.8

0.8

2017
 £m

0.8

0.8

Investment property is shown at cost. The fair value of the investment property at 31 December 2018 is £1.0m (2017: £0.9m) and has 
been arrived at on the basis of a valuation carried out by independent valuers, Wilks Head & Eve LLP. The valuation, which conforms 
to International Valuation Standards, was arrived at by reference to market evidence of transaction prices for similar properties.

15.  Investments
Cost of shares in subsidiaries

Balance at 1 January

Disposal of investment

Balance at 31 December

2018 
£m

47.4

 – 

47.4

2017
 £m

50.6

(3.2)

47.4

The Company’s subsidiary undertakings are shown in note 32.

Disposal of investments
On 1 August 2017 the Company disposed of its investment in the Instrumentation & Tobacco Machinery division.

Impairment review of investments 
Annual impairment reviews of investments in subsidiaries are undertaken and are determined from value in use calculations 
for each cash generating unit (CGU) using cash flow projections based on the latest three year plan approved by the Board. The 
main assumptions for each CGU, which relate to sales volume, selling prices and cost changes, are based on recent history and 
expectations of future changes in the market. Cash flows beyond the period of the projections are extrapolated at growth rates 
which do not exceed those used in the three year plan. The discount rate applied to the cash flow forecasts for each CGU is based 
on a market participant’s pre-tax weighted average cost of capital of 10% (2017: 11%).

There has been no impairment of investments in subsidiaries in the year. Management considers that reasonable possible changes 
in the assumptions would be an increase in the weighted average cost of capital of 1.0%, a reduction in the sales of the subsidiaries 
of 5% and a 5% reduction in their operating profit. None of these changes in assumptions would have resulted in an impairment 
of investments in subsidiaries in the year.

16.  Deferred tax assets and liabilities
Deferred tax assets and liabilities are attributable to the following:

Group

Employee benefits

Tax losses

Deferred tax (liabilities)/assets

Offset of tax

Net deferred tax (liabilities)/ assets

Assets

Liabilities

Net

2018
 £m

–

1.7

1.7

–

1.7

2017
 £m

–

1.7

1.7

–

1.7

2018
 £m

(7.3)

–

(7.3)

–

(7.3)

2017
 £m

(6.3)

–

(6.3)

–

(6.3)

2018
 £m

(7.3)

1.7

(5.6)

–

(5.6)

2017
 £m

(6.3)

1.7

(4.6)

–

(4.6)

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018 
Company

Employee benefits

Other

Deferred tax (liabilities)/assets

Offset of tax

Net deferred tax liabilities

Assets

2018 
£m

2017
 £m

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

Liabilities

Net

2018
 £m

(7.3)

–

(7.3)

–

(7.3)

2017 
£m

(6.3)

–

(6.3)

–

(6.3)

2018
 £m

(7.3)

–

(7.3)

–

(7.3)

77

2017 
£m

(6.3)

–

(6.3)

–

(6.3)

Deferred tax is measured at the rates that are expected to apply in the period when the temporary differences are expected to 
reverse, based on tax rates and laws that have been enacted or substantively enacted by the statement of financial position date.

No deferred tax is recognised on the unremitted earnings of overseas subsidiaries and associates. As the earnings are continually 
reinvested by the Group, no tax is expected to be payable on them in the foreseeable future.

Unrecognised deferred tax assets
Deferred tax assets have not been recognised in respect of temporary differences arising in certain subsidiary companies.

These assets are only recognised to the extent that it is probable that taxable profits will be available against which the deferred tax 
asset can be utilised. At the year end the Group had £9.6m of unrecognised deferred tax assets (2017: £9.3m) which would become 
recoverable if the relevant companies were to make sufficient profits in the future. Under current tax legislation these tax assets 
expire as follows:

Expiry

10 to 20 years

No expiry date

Movement in temporary differences during the year

Group

2018 
£m

5.0

4.3

9.3

2017 
£m

4.9

4.4

9.3

Group

Employee benefits

Tax losses

 Balance at 
1 January 
 2018  
£m

 Recognised in 
profit or loss  
£m

Recognised  
in other 
comprehensive 
income/ 
(expense) 
 £m

 Recorded  
in equity
£m

 Retranslation 
 £m

Balance at 
31 December  
2018 
£m

(6.3)

1.7

(4.6)

1.9

–

1.9

(2.9)

–

(2.9)

–

–

–

–

–

–

(7.3)

1.7

(5.6)

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018FINANCIAL STATEMENTSCORPORATE GOVERNANCESTRATEGIC REPORT78

Notes to the accounts continued

16.  Deferred tax assets and liabilities continued

Group

Intangible assets

Property, plant and equipment

Employee benefits

Inventories

Foreign currency derivatives

Provisions

Translation movements on foreign 
currency investments

Own shares (employee trust)

Tax losses

Company

Employee benefits

Other

Company

Intangible assets

Property, plant and equipment

Employee benefits

Provisions

Own shares (employee trust)

Tax losses

17.  Inventories

Work in progress

Finished goods

Balance at 
1 January
 2017
 £m

Recognised in 
profit or loss
 £m

Recognised 
in other 
comprehensive 
income/
(expense)
 £m

Recorded
 in equity
 £m

Retranslation 
£m

Balance at 
31 December
2017 
£m

0.4

0.1

1.1

0.1

0.1

0.4

(0.2)

–

0.6

(2.6)

(0.4)

(0.1)

(4.4)

(0.1)

(0.1)

(0.4)

0.2

–

1.1

(4.2)

–

–

(3.2)

–

–

–

–

–

–

(3.2)

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

0.2

–

–

–

–

–

–

0.2

–

–

(6.3)

–

–

–

–

–

1.7

(4.6)

Balance at
 1 January 
2018 
£m

Recognised in 
profit or loss 
£m

Recognised
 in other 
comprehensive 
income/ 
(expense)
£m

(6.3)

–

(6.3)

1.9

–

1.9

(2.9)

–

(2.9)

Balance at 
 1 January
2017 
£m

Recognised in 
profit or loss 
£m

Recognised
in other 
comprehensive 
income/ 
(expense) 
£m

(1.3)

0.1

(1.6)

0.2

–

0.6

(2.0)

1.3

(0.1)

(1.5)

(0.2)

–

(0.6)

(1.1)

–

–

(3.2)

–

–

–

(3.2)

Recorded
 in equity
 £m

Balance at 
31 December 
2018
£m

–

–

–

(7.3)

–

(7.3)

Recorded in 
equity 
£m

Balance at
 31 December 
2017
£m

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

(6.3)

–

–

–

(6.3)

2017 
£m

–

0.2

0.2

 Group

Company

2018 
£m

1.7

1.6

3.3

2017 
£m

1.0

1.4

2.4

2018
 £m

0.5

0.2

0.7

An amount of £nil (2017: £nil) has been charged in the year in respect of inventory write-downs.

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 201879

18.  Contract Assets & Liabilities
The following table provides information about receivables, contract assets and contract liabilities from contracts with customers.

Receivables, which are included in ‘Trade and other receivables’

Contract assets

Contract liabilities

Group

 Company

31 December 
2018 
£m

1 January 
2018
 £m

31 December 
2018
 £m

1 January 
2018
 £m

10.2

5.5

(11.6)

10.1

4.2

(7.5)

–

0.8

–

–

–

(3.6)

In 2017, the contract assets were included within trade and other receivables (Note 19), whilst contract liabilities were included within 
trade and other payables (Note 22). 

Revenue recognised which is included in the contract liability balance at the 
beginning of the period

Increases due to cash received, excluding amounts recognised as revenue 
during the period

Transfers from contract assets recognised at the beginning of the period to 
receivables

Increases as a result of changes recognised in the measure of progress

Group

Company

Contract 
Assets

Contract 
Liabilities

Contract 
Assets

Contract 
Liabilities

–

–

(4.2)

5.5 

7.4

(11.6)

–

– 

–

–

–

0.8

3.6

–

–

–

The Group applies the practical expedient in paragraph 121 of IFRS 15 and does not disclose information about remaining 
performance obligations that have original expected durations of one year or less.

The Group applies the practical expedient in paragraph 94 of IFRS 15 and recognises the incremental costs of obtaining contracts as 
an expense when incurred if the amortisation period of the asset that the Group otherwise would have recognised is one year or less. 

The Group’s contracts with customers are predominantly for one year or less, accordingly the Group applies the practical expedient 
in paragraph 63 of IFRS 15 and does not adjust the promised amount of consideration for the effects of any financing component.

The Group has initially applied IFRS 15 using the cumulative effect method. Under this method, the comparative information is 
not restated. 

19.  Trade and other receivables

Non-current assets:

Other receivables

Current assets:

Trade receivables

Amounts owed by Group undertakings

Amounts recoverable on contracts

Other receivables

Prepayments and accrued income

Foreign currency derivatives

 Group

2018
£m

–

–

12.2

–

–

0.8

3.9

–

16.9

2017
 £m

0.8

0.8

11.7

–

5.0

1.3

1.4

0.5

19.9

Company

2018 
£m

2017
 £m

–

–

1.0

2.0

–

0.1

1.5

0.6

5.2

0.8

0.8

3.1

0.1

0.2

0.8

1.0

0.3

5.5

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018FINANCIAL STATEMENTSCORPORATE GOVERNANCESTRATEGIC REPORT80

Notes to the accounts continued

20.  Interest-bearing loans and borrowings

Non-current liabilities:

Repayable between one and two years

More than five years

Group

Company

2018
 £m

–

0.9

0.9

2017
 £m

–

0.9

0.9

2018
 £m

–

0.9

0.9

2017
 £m

–

0.9

0.9

Preference shares 
The preference shares carry a fixed cumulative preferential dividend at the rate of 6% per annum and on the winding-up of the 
Company entitle the holders to repayment of the capital paid up thereon (together with a sum equal to any arrears or deficiency of 
the fixed dividend calculated to the date of the return of capital and to be payable irrespective of whether such dividend has been 
declared or earned or not) in priority to any payment to the holders of the ordinary shares. The preference shares do not entitle the 
holders to any further participation in the profits or assets of the Company.

The preference shareholders are not entitled to receive notice of or to attend or vote at any general meeting unless either:

 » at the date of the notice convening the meeting, the dividend on the preference shares is six months in arrears (for this purpose 

the dividend on the preference shares is deemed to be payable half-yearly on 30 June and 31 December); or

 » the business of the meeting includes the consideration of a resolution for the winding-up of the Company, or for reducing its share 
capital or for sanctioning a sale of the undertaking, or any resolution directly and adversely affecting any of the special rights or 
privileges attached to the preference shares.

There were no arrears in the payment of preference dividends at the statement of financial position date. Preference dividends paid 
amounted to £0.1m (2017: £0.1m).

21.  Reconciliation of net cash flow to movement in net funds/debts

Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents

Cash movement in borrowings

Change in net funds/(debt) resulting from cash flows

Translation movements

Movement in net funds/(debt) in the period

Opening net funds/(debt)

Closing net funds/(debt)

Analysis of net funds/(debt):

Cash and cash equivalents – current assets

Interest-bearing loans and borrowings – non-current liabilities

Closing net funds/(debt)

Group

Company

2018 
£m

(2.2)

–

(2.2)

(0.2)

(2.4)

29.4

27.0

27.9

(0.9)

27.0

2017 
£m

21.3

7.0

28.3

0.3

28.6

0.8

29.4

30.3

(0.9)

29.4

2018 
£m

(3.3)

–

(3.3)

–

(3.3)

19.8

16.5

17.4

(0.9)

16.5

2017
 £m

18.0

7.0

25.0

–

25.0

(5.2)

19.8

20.7

(0.9)

19.8

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018 
 
 
 
22.  Trade and other payables

Current liabilities:

Deposits received on account

Trade payables

Amounts owed to Group undertakings

Amounts due to customers on contracts

Other taxes and social security

Other payables

Accruals and deferred income

Foreign currency derivatives

23.  Provisions

Group

Balance at 1 January

Provisions created in the year

Utilised during the year

Unused amounts reversed

Retranslation

Balance at 31 December

Company

Balance at 1 January

Provisions created in the year

Utilised during the year

Unused amounts reversed

Balance at 31 December

Group

2018 
£m

Company

2017 
£m

2018 
£m

–

5.1

–

–

0.4

1.9

6.5

0.8

1.3

5.1

–

4.6

0.7

2.6

6.6

–

–

0.7

19.0

–

–

0.7

1.3

0.8

14.7

20.9

22.5

2018

Continued 
£m

Discontinued 
£m

1.0

1.3

(1.0)

(0.2)

–

1.1

–

–

–

–

–

–

2017

Continued 
£m

Discontinued 
£m

1.4

1.0

(1.1)

(0.2)

(0.1)

1.0

0.3

0.3

(0.6)

–

–

–

Total 
£m

1.0

1.3

(1.0)

(0.2)

–

1.1

2018

2017

Continued 
£m

Discontinued 
£m

Total
 £m

Continued 
£m

Discontinued 
£m

0.1

0.2

(0.1)

–

0.2

–

–

–

–

–

0.1

0.2

(0.1)

–

0.2

0.2

0.1

(0.2)

–

0.1

0.3

0.1

(0.4)

–

–

81

2017
 £m

0.1

1.1

16.5

2.3

0.2

1.0

2.6

0.3

24.1

Total
 £m

1.7

1.3

(1.7)

(0.2)

(0.1)

1.0

Total
 £m

0.5

0.2

(0.6)

–

0.1

Provisions are based on historical data and a weighting of all possible outcomes against their associated possibilities. Provisions 
relate primarily to product warranties. Except for specific identifiable claims, they are generally utilised within one year of the 
statement of financial position date.

24.  Employee benefits
Defined contribution pension schemes 
The Group operates a number of defined contribution pension schemes for employees. Contributions to these schemes are 
recognised as an expense in the Consolidated income statement as they fall due.

Defined benefit pension schemes 
The Group is responsible for defined benefit pension schemes in the UK and the USA. All schemes are funded by Group 
companies as necessary, at rates determined by independent actuaries and as agreed between the trustees of the schemes 
and the sponsoring company.

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018FINANCIAL STATEMENTSCORPORATE GOVERNANCESTRATEGIC REPORT 
82

Notes to the accounts continued

24.  Employee benefits continued
The defined benefit pension schemes are administered by bodies that are legally separate from the Group. The trustees of the 
schemes are required by law to act in the interest of the schemes and of all relevant stakeholders in the schemes. The trustees 
of the schemes are responsible for the investment policies in respect of the assets of the schemes.

The pension schemes typically expose the Group to certain risks. These include the risk of investment under- performance, a fall 
in interest rates, an increase in life expectancy and an increase in inflation.

UK pension scheme 
The Group operated one defined benefit pension scheme in the UK in which future accruals ceased in November 2012. The assets of 
the scheme are held separately from those of the Company and it is funded by the Company as necessary in order to ensure that the 
scheme can meet the expected benefit obligations. The funding policy is to ensure that the assets held by the scheme in the future 
are adequate to meet expected liabilities, allowing for future increases in pensions. The only assets of the scheme which are invested 
in the Company are an interest in the cumulative preference shares of the Company with an estimated current market value of 
£0.2m.

The most recent formal actuarial valuation of the scheme was carried out as at 30 June 2015 using the projected unit credit method. 
The market value of the scheme assets at that date was £350.6m and the funding level was 83% of liabilities, which represented a 
deficit of £70.0m. The principal terms of the deficit funding agreement between the Company and the Fund’s Trustees, which is 
effective until 31 August 2029, but, is subject to reassessment every 3 years are as follows:

 » the Company will continue to pay a sum of £1.9m per annum to the Scheme (increasing at 2.1 per cent. per annum) in deficit 

recovery payments;

 » if underlying operating profit (operating profit before non-underlying items) in any year is in excess of £5.5m, the Company will pay 
to the Scheme an amount of 33% of the difference between the annual underlying operating profit and £5.5m, subject to a cap on 
underlying operating profit of £10.0m for the purpose of calculating this payment; this part of the agreement will fall away in 2021 
if the funding deficit is below certain levels; and

 » payments of dividends by Mpac Group plc will not exceed the value of payments being made to the Scheme in any one year.

The deficit recovery period from 30 June 2015 was estimated to be 14 years and 2 months, which is scheduled to be formally 
reassessed following the completion of the actuarial valuation being carried out as at 30 June 2018.

During the year the Company paid deficit recovery contributions of £1.9m (2017: £1.8m). A contribution of £0.1m (2017: £2.4m) 
following the receipt of proceeds from the disposal of the I&TM business, being 10% of net proceeds, was also paid.

The Company accounts for pension costs under IAS 19 Employee benefits and the valuation used has been based on detailed 
actuarial valuation work carried out as at 30 June 2015, updated by the Company’s actuary to assess the value of the liabilities 
of the scheme at 31 December 2018. Scheme assets are stated at their market value at 31 December 2018.

USA pension schemes
In the USA the Group has three defined benefit pension schemes, all of which are closed to future accrual. Formal independent 
actuarial valuations of the USA pension schemes were carried out as at 1 January 2017 using the projected unit credit method. 
The valuations under IAS 19 at 31 December 2018 have been based on these actuarial valuations, updated for conditions existing 
at the year end.

Employer contributions of £1.0m (2017: £0.7m), including £0.7m (2017: £0.4m) as a result of the disposal in 2015 of the assets 
of Arista Laboratories, were paid during the year.

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 201883

Assumptions 
The key financial assumptions used to calculate scheme liabilities and the financing expense on pension scheme balances are 
as follows:

Discount rate

Inflation rate

– CPI

– RPI

Increases to pensions in payment

– final salary benefits

– career average benefits

UK (Company)

USA

2018

2.7%

2.1%

3.2%

2.1%

1.9%

2017

2.3%

2.1%

3.2%

2.1%

1.9%

2018

4.0%

2017

3.5%

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

The assumptions relating to longevity underlying the pension liabilities of the defined benefit pension schemes at the statement 
of financial position date are based on standard actuarial mortality tables and include an allowance for future improvements in 
longevity. The assumptions are equivalent to expecting an individual to live for a number of years as follows:

Current pensioner aged 65 – male

Current pensioner aged 65 – female

Future retiree currently aged 45 upon reaching age 65 – male

Future retiree currently aged 45 upon reaching age 65 – female

UK scheme

USA 
schemes

21.4 years

20.6 years

23.7 years

22.6 years

22.8 years

20.5 years

25.2 years

23.1 years

At 31 December 2018 the weighted average duration of the defined benefit obligation in the UK scheme was 15 years (2017: 15 years) 
and in the USA schemes was 10 years (2017: 11 years).

Significant actuarial assumptions for the determination of the defined benefit obligations are discount rate, inflation rate and 
mortality. The sensitivity analysis below has been determined assuming that all other assumptions are held constant.

Changes in values of pension schemes’ liabilities before tax as at 31 December 2018

0.1% change in discount rate

0.1% change in inflation rate

Change in life expectancy by one year on average

UK scheme

£5.2m

£3.7m

USA 
schemes

 £0.2m

 n/a

£15.2m

 £0.8m

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018FINANCIAL STATEMENTSCORPORATE GOVERNANCESTRATEGIC REPORT84

Notes to the accounts continued

24.  Employee benefits continued
Categories of assets and funded status
The fair values of scheme assets were as follows:

UK equities

Overseas equities

Bonds – index linked gilts

Bonds – other

Properties – funds

Properties – directly owned

Absolute return funds

Other

Total fair (bid) value of scheme assets

Present value of defined benefit obligations

Defined benefit asset/(liability)

UK (Company)

2018 
£m

1.3

69.0

98.4

61.7

41.1

2.2

119.2

5.3

398.2

(377.7)

20.5

2017 
£m

1.5

80.0

102.3

63.1

38.9

1.8

124.8

2.2

414.6

(397.0)

17.6

USA

2018
£m

–

5.3

–

9.9

1.1

–

–

–

16.3

(22.5)

(6.2)

2017 
£m

–

6.2

–

9.5

1.0

–

–

–

16.7

(22.9)

(6.2)

Group

2018 
£m

1.3

74.3

98.4

71.6

42.2

2.2

119.2

5.3

414.5

(400.2)

14.3

2017
 £m

1.5

86.2

102.3

72.6

39.9

1.8

124.8

2.2

431.3

(419.9)

11.4

All equities, bonds, property funds and absolute return funds have quoted prices in active markets. Directly owned properties are 
subject to an independent valuation.

Disclosed defined benefit pension income/expense for financial year
A)  Components of defined benefit pension income/expense 
Net defined benefit pension expense recognised in the Consolidated income statement comprises:

Past service costs

Interest expense/(income)

Administration costs

Expense recognised in income statement

UK (Company)

USA

Group

2018
 £m

7.3

(0.4)

0.7

7.6

2017
 £m

–

(0.2)

0.6

0.4

2018 
£m

–

0.2

0.2

0.4

2017 
£m

–

0.3

0.2

0.5

2018
£m

7.3

(0.2)

0.9

8.0

2017
 £m

–

0.1

0.8

0.9

Following the decision in Lloyds Banking Group Pension Trustees Limited vs Lloyds Bank plc (and others), the company has 
recognised an estimated cost of £7.3m in respect of increased future liabilities relating to GMP equalisation for past service within 
the scheme. The precise method to be used to equalise the benefits (and determination of the consequent increase in liabilities) will 
be discussed between the trustee and the company in due course.

B)  Statements of comprehensive income (SOCI) 
The actuarial gains recognised in the SOCI in respect of pensions were £8.3m (2017: gains of £9.1m), comprising actuarial gains 
of £8.5m (2017: gains of £9.2m) for the UK defined benefit pension scheme and actuarial losses of £0.2m (2017: losses of £0.1m) 
for the USA schemes, all figures before tax.

Actual return on scheme assets 
The actual return on scheme assets were gains of £2.2m (2017: £30.4m), comprising gains of £3.2m (2017: £28.4m) for the UK 
defined benefit pension scheme and losses of £1.0m (2017: gains of £2.0m) for the USA schemes, all figures before tax.

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018Reconciliation of the present value of defined benefit obligations 

Present value of defined benefit obligations 
at 1 January

Past service cost

Interest cost

Actuarial losses/(gains)

– Changes in demographic assumptions

– Changes in financial assumptions

– Experience

Benefit payments

Retranslation

 UK (Company)

USA

Group

2018
 £m

2017
 £m

397.0

397.3

7.3

8.9

(21.8)

1.2

6.0

(20.9)

–

–

9.7

–

11.5

(2.2)

(19.3)

–

2018 
£m

22.9

–

0.8

(0.1)

(1.4)

0.1

(1.5)

1.7

2017
 £m

23.9

–

0.9

(0.2)

1.3

0.4

(1.4)

(2.0)

2018
 £m

419.9

7.3

9.7

(21.9)

(0.2)

6.1

(22.4)

1.7

85

2017
 £m

421.2

–

10.6

(0.2)

12.8

(1.8)

(20.7)

(2.0)

Present value of defined benefit obligations 
at 31 December

377.7

397.0

22.5

22.9

400.2

419.9

At 31 December 2018 the pensioner population accounted for 61% (2017: 64%) of the UK scheme’s obligations and 70% (2017: 70%) 
of the USA schemes’ obligations.

Reconciliation of the fair value of scheme assets

 UK (Company)

USA

Group

Fair value of scheme assets at 1 January

Interest income

Actuarial gains/(losses)

– Return on scheme assets

Company contributions

Administration expenses

Benefit payments

Retranslation

2018 
£m

414.6

9.3

(6.1)

2.0

(0.7)

(20.9)

–

2017
 £m

401.9

9.9

18.5

4.2

(0.6)

(19.3)

–

Fair value of scheme assets at 31 December

398.2 

414.6

Experience gains and losses for the year

2018 
£m

16.7

0.6

(1.6)

1.0

(0.2)

(1.5)

1.3

16.3

2017
£m

17.1

0.6

1.4

0.7

(0.2)

(1.4)

(1.5)

16.7

2018
 £m

431.3

9.3

(7.1)

3.0

(0.9)

(22.4)

1.3

414.5

UK (Company)

USA

Group

Fair value of scheme assets

Defined benefit obligations

Net asset/(liability)

Actuarial gains/(losses) on scheme assets

Actuarial (losses)/gains on defined benefit 
obligations

Net gain/(loss) recognised in the SOCI during 
the year

2018
 £m

398.2

(377.7)

20.5

(6.0)

2017
 £m

414.6

(397.0)

17.6

18.5

2018
 £m

16.3

(22.5)

(6.2)

(1.6)

14.5

(9.3)

1.4

8.5

9.2

(0.2)

2017
 £m

16.7

2018
 £m

414.5

(22.9)

(400.2)

14.3

(7.6)

(6.2)

1.4

(1.5)

(0.1)

15.9

(10.8)

(8.3)

9.1

2017 
£m

419.0

10.5

19.9

4.9

(0.8)

(20.7)

(1.5)

431.3

2017 
£m

431.3

(419.9)

11.4

19.9

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018FINANCIAL STATEMENTSCORPORATE GOVERNANCESTRATEGIC REPORT86

Notes to the accounts continued

24.  Employee benefits continued
Movements in the net liability/asset of defined benefit pension schemes recognised in the Statements of financial position.

Net asset/(liability) for employee benefits at 
1 January

Expense recognised in the income statement 
(see below)

Company contributions

Actuarial (losses)/gains recognised in the SOCI 

Retranslation

UK (Company)

2018 
£m

17.6

(7.6)

2.0

8.5

–

2017
 £m

4.6

(0.4)

4.2

9.2

–

Net asset/(liability) for employee benefits at 
31 December

20.5

17.6

USA

2018 
£m

(6.2)

(0.4)

1.0

(0.2)

(0.4)

(6.2)

2017
 £m

(6.8)

(0.5)

0.7

(0.1)

0.5

(6.2)

Group

2018 
£m

11.4

(8.0)

3.0

8.3

(0.4)

14.3

2017 
£m

(2.2)

(0.9)

4.9

9.1

0.5

11.4

At the end of the life of the UK defined benefit pension scheme the Company has an unconditional right to a refund and any such 
refund would be paid out only on a net of tax basis.

Defined benefit pension schemes income/expense recognised in the Consolidated income statement
The income/expense is recognised in the following line items in the Consolidated income statement:

Administrative expenses

Financial expense/(income)

Net pension expense

UK (Company)

USA

Group

2018
 £m

8.0

(0.4)

7.6

2017 
£m

0.6

(0.2)

0.4

2018
 £m

0.2

0.2

0.4

2017
£m

0.2

0.3

0.5

2018 
£m

8.2

(0.2)

8.0

2017
 £m

0.8

0.1

0.9

The net pension expense is included in non-underlying items.

Share-based payments 
The Company currently operates a deferred share plan. Own shares are held in trust and granted to plan participants when certain 
conditions are met. Further details of the Deferred share plan, including the performance conditions and vesting periods, are in the 
Remuneration and Nomination Committee report on page 35 and in this note.

The share awards that were subject to conditional grants during the year were:

1 April 2016

8 June 2017

13 March 2018

At 1 January 
2018

52,400

132,600

–

185,000

 Granted

 Lapsed

 Exercised

At 
31 December 
2018

–

–

–

–

95,152

95,152

(10,025)

(10,025)

–

–

–

–

52,400

132,600

85,127

270,127

Granting of all conditional awards and the exercise of such awards are at nil cost to the participant. The share-based compensation 
charge for the year amounted to £0.1m (2017: £nil).

The fair value of the conditional awards made under the Deferred share plan has been based on the market price of the Company’s 
shares at the date of grant, reduced by the assumptions made (for the purposes of this exercise) in respect of the present value of 
dividends expected to be paid (at the time of grant) during the vesting period. The fair value of each conditional award is as follows:

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018Date of award

1 April 2016

8 June 2017

13 March 2018

25.  Capital and reserves 
Share capital

Allotted, called up and fully paid

Ordinary shares of 25p each

87

Fair value
 per share

46.0p

74.0p

178.9p

2018
 £m

5.0

2017 
£m

5.0

There were 20,171,540 (2017: 20,171,540) ordinary shares in issue at the year end. The holders of the ordinary shares are entitled to 
one vote per share at meetings of the Company and to receive dividends as declared from time to time. At the year end an employee 
trust held 347,016 of the ordinary shares and it has agreed to waive all dividends and not to exercise voting rights in respect of these 
shares. The Company also has in issue 900,000 6% fixed cumulative preference shares of £1 each (see note 20); these are classified 
as borrowings.

Translation reserve 
The translation reserve comprises all foreign exchange differences arising from the translation of the financial statements 
of foreign operations.

Capital redemption reserve
The capital redemption reserve records the historical repurchase of the Company’s own shares.

Hedging reserve 

The hedging reserve comprises the effective portion of the cumulative net change in the fair value of cash flow hedging instruments 
related to hedged transactions that have not yet occurred.

Investment in own shares 
Included within retained earnings is the carrying value of own shares held in trust for the benefit of employees. These shares are 
used to service the obligations of the Company’s Deferred share plan. Further details of the Deferred share plan can be found in 
the Remuneration and Nomination Committee report on pages 34 to 35 and on page 86 in note 24.

At 31 December 2018 the employee trust held 347,016 (2017: 347,016) ordinary shares of 25p each, representing 1.7% of the 
issued shares (2017: 1.7%), 270,127 of which were subject to conditional grants. The shares held by the trust were purchased at 
an aggregate cost of £0.5m (2017: £0.5m). The trust purchased no additional shares in the year (2017: 71,600 at a cost of £0.1m). 

The market value of the shares held by the trust at 31 December 2018 was £0.4m (2017: £0.5m).

Dividends

Dividends to shareholders paid in the period:

2018
 £m

–

2017
 £m

–

Having considered the trading results for 2018, together with the opportunities for investment in the growth of the Company, 
the Board has decided that it is appropriate not to pay a dividend. No dividend was paid in 2017. Future dividend payments and 
the development of a new dividend policy will be considered by the Board in the context of 2019 trading performance and when 
the Board believes it is prudent to do so.

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018FINANCIAL STATEMENTSCORPORATE GOVERNANCESTRATEGIC REPORT88

Notes to the accounts continued

26.  Financial risk management
The Group has exposure to credit, liquidity and market risks from its use of financial instruments.

These risks are regularly considered and the impact of these risks on the Group, and how to mitigate them, assessed. The board of 
directors is responsible for the Group’s system of internal controls and has established risk management policies to identify and 
analyse the risks faced by the Group, to set appropriate risk limits and controls, and to monitor risks and adherence to limits. The 
Audit Committee assists the Board in the discharge of its duty in relation to the maintenance of proper internal controls. Further 
details regarding the Audit Committee can be found in its report on pages 29 to 31.

Categories of financial instruments

Financial assets:

Derivative instruments in designated hedge accounting relationships

Loans and receivables (including cash and cash equivalents)

Financial liabilities:

Derivative instruments in designated hedge accounting relationships

Amortised cost

 Group

Company

2018 
£m

–

40.9

40.9

–

15.5

15.5

2017
 £m

0.5

43.5

44.0

–

21.8

21.8

2018
 £m

0.6

19.0

19.6

0.8

22.6

23.4

2017
 £m

0.3

25.4

25.7

0.3

24.7

25.0

Amortised cost comprises interest-bearing loans and borrowings and trade and other payables, excluding foreign 
currency derivatives.

IFRS 7 Financial instruments: disclosures for financial instruments that are measured in the Statements of financial position at 
fair value requires disclosure of fair value measurements in the form of a three level fair value hierarchy, by class, for all financial 
instruments recognised at fair value. The Group uses the following hierarchy for determining and disclosing the fair value of 
financial instruments by valuation technique:

Level 1:  quoted (unadjusted) prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities;

Level 2: 

 inputs other than quoted prices included within Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly 
(i.e. as prices) or indirectly (i.e. derived from prices); and

Level 3: 

 inputs for the asset or liability that are not based on observable market data (unobservable inputs). At 1 January 2018 
and 31 December 2018 the Group held all financial instruments at Level 2.

Credit risk 
Credit risk is the risk of financial loss to the Group if a customer or counterparty to a financial instrument fails to meet its contractual 
obligations and arises principally from the Group’s receivables from customers and cash held at financial institutions. In addition, for 
the Company, a credit risk exists in respect of amounts owed by Group undertakings.

Trade receivables 
The Group ensures that the provision of credit to customers is adequately managed by each individual business in order that the risk 
of non-payment or delayed payment is minimised. The Group’s exposure to risk is influenced mainly by the individual characteristics 
of each customer, the industry and country in which customers operate. The Group has a diversified base of customers. In certain 
years sales to a customer may be more than 5%, although the sales would typically be both original equipment and service, and to 
a number of different geographic regions.

The Group has written credit control policies which cover procedures for accepting new customers, setting credit limits, dealing with 
overdue amounts and delinquent payers.

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 201889

An impairment loss provision against trade receivables is created where it is anticipated that the value of trade receivables is not 
fully recoverable.

Exposure to credit risk 
The carrying amount of financial assets represents the maximum credit exposure. The maximum exposure to credit risk for the 
Group and the Company at 31 December was:

Trade receivables

Amounts owed by Group undertakings

Other receivables

Foreign currency derivatives

Cash and cash equivalents

Group

Company

2018
 £m

12.2

–

0.8

–

27.9

40.9

2017 
£m

11.7

–

1.5

0.5

30.3

44.0

2018 
£m

1.0

0.5

0.1

0.6

17.4

19.6

2017 
£m

3.1

0.1

1.5

0.3

20.7

25.7

The Group applies the IFRS 9 simplified model of recognising lifetime expected credit losses for all trade receivables as these items 
do not have a significant financing component. In measuring the expected credit losses, the trade receivables have been assessed 
on an individual basis as the risk depends upon the circumstances of the receivable, including the financial strength of the 
counterparty and the terms of the contract. They have been grouped based on the days past due.

Trade receivables are written off (ie derecognised) when there is no reasonable expectation of recovery. Failure to make payments 
within 180 days from the invoice date and failure to engage with the Group on alternative payment arrangements, amongst others, 
are considered indicators of no reasonable expectation of recovery.

Impairment loss provisions 
The ageing of trade receivables and the impairment loss provisions for the Group and the Company at 31 December were:

Group

Not past due

Past due up to 30 days

Past due 31–60 days

Past due 61–90 days

Past due more than 91 days

Company

Not past due

Past due up to 30 days

Past due 31–60 days

Past due 61–90 days

Past due more than 91 days

2018

Impairment 
loss 
provisions 
£m

–

–

–

–

(0.2)

(0.2)

Gross 
£m

7.3

1.7

1.8

0.5

1.1

12.4

2018

Impairment 
loss 
provisions 
£m

Company 
Gross 
£m

0.9

0.1

–

–

–

1.0

–

–

–

–

–

–

Total
 £m

7.3

1.7

1.8

0.5

0.9

12.2

 Total 
£m

0.9

0.1

–

–

–

1.0

2017

Impairment 
loss 
provisions 
£m

–

–

–

–

–

–

2017

Impairment 
loss 
provisions 
£m

–

–

–

–

–

–

Gross
 £m

7.5

3.4

0.2

0.1

0.5

11.7

 Gross
 £m

3.1

–

–

–

–

3.1

Total
 £m

7.5

3.4

0.2

0.1

0.5

11.7

Total 
£m

3.1

–

–

–

–

3.1

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018FINANCIAL STATEMENTSCORPORATE GOVERNANCESTRATEGIC REPORT90

Notes to the accounts continued

26.  Financial risk management continued 
Liquidity risk 
Liquidity risk is the risk that the Group will not be able to meet its financial obligations as they fall due. The Group’s approach to 
managing liquidity is to hold cash and cash equivalents and maintain undrawn committed facilities at a level sufficient to ensure that 
the Group has available funds to meet its liabilities as they become due. Further details of the Group’s treasury policies can be found 
in the Financial review on pages 17 to 19.

Contractual maturities of non-derivative financial liabilities
The non-derivative financial liabilities for the Group and the Company at 31 December were:

Group

2018
 £m

Company

2017
 £m

2018 
£m

2017
 £m

Current liabilities:

Trade and other payables (excluding derivatives)

13.9

20.9

22.5

23.8

Non-current liabilities:

Interest-bearing loans and borrowings

0.9

0.9

0.9

0.9

The maturities of the interest-bearing loans and borrowings are disclosed in note 20. 

Trade and other payables shown as current liabilities are expected to mature within six months of the statement of financial 
position date.

The contractual maturities of forward foreign exchange contracts that the Group and Company had committed at 31 December are 
shown in the Foreign currency risk section in this note.

Market risk 
Market risk is the risk that changes in market prices, such as interest rates and foreign exchange rates, will affect the Group’s income 
or the value of its holdings of financial instruments. Exposure to interest rate and currency risks arises in the normal course of the 
Group’s business. The Group does not trade in financial instruments and enters into derivatives (principally forward foreign exchange 
contracts) solely for the purpose of minimising currency exposure on sales or purchases in other than the functional currencies of its 
various operations.

The Group’s treasury policies are explained in the Financial review on pages 17 to 19.

Interest rate risk 
Cash and cash equivalents 
The cash profile at 31 December was:

Group

Currency:

Sterling

Canadian dollar

US dollar

Euro

Other

2018

 Cash on 
which no 
interest 
received 
£m

–

–

–

–

–

–

Cash at 
floating
 rates 
£m

17.4

2.5

3.7

4.3

–

27.9

2017

Cash on 
which no 
interest 
received 
£m

–

–

1.1

–

–

1.1

Cash at 
floating 
rates 
£m

16.5

5.6

2.4

4.6

0.1

29.2

Total
 £m

17.4

2.5

3.7

4.3

–

27.9

Total
 £m

16.5

5.6

3.5

4.6

0.1

30.3

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018Company 

Currency:

Sterling

Canadian dollar

US dollar

Euro

2018

Cash on 
which no 
interest 
received 
£m

–

–

–

–

–

Cash at 
floating 
rates 
£m

17.0

0.2

0.1

0.1

17.4

2017

Cash on 
which no 
interest 
received 
£m

–

–

–

–

–

 Cash at 
floating
 rates 
£m

16.3

0.5

1.1

2.8

20.7

 Total
 £m

17.0

0.2

0.1

0.1

17.4

All cash surplus to immediate operational requirements is placed on deposit at floating rates of interest.

Interest-bearing loans and borrowings
The profile of interest-bearing loans and borrowings at 31 December was:

Group and Company

Currency:

Sterling

2018

2017

Borrowings 
at floating 
rates
 £m

Borrowings 
at fixed rates 
£m

–

–

0.9

0.9

Borrowings 
at floating 
rates
£m

Borrowings 
at fixed rates 
£m

–

–

0.9

0.9

Total 
£m

0.9

0.9

91

 Total
 £m

16.3

0.5

1.1

2.8

20.7

Total 
£m

0.9

0.9

The borrowings at fixed rates in sterling are the fixed cumulative preference shares which are explained in more detail in note 20.

Sensitivity to interest rate risk 
If interest rates had been 100 basis points higher/lower throughout the period, net financial income (excluding on pension scheme 
balances) for the Group would have increased/decreased by £0.2m (2017: £0.1m). This analysis assumes that all other variables, in 
particular foreign currency rates, remain constant and considers the effect of financial instruments with variable interest rates. 
The analysis is performed on the same basis as for the year ended 31 December 2017.

Foreign currency risk 
The majority of the Group’s operations are outside of the UK, and therefore a significant portion of its business is conducted 
overseas in currencies other than sterling. As explained on page 20, foreign currency risk is one of the principal risks and 
uncertainties to which the Group is exposed. The Group is exposed to both transaction and translation risk.

Transactions in foreign currency are translated at the foreign exchange rate ruling at the date of the transaction. Monetary assets 
and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies at the statement of financial position date are translated at the foreign exchange 
rate ruling at that date. Foreign exchange differences arising on translation are recognised in the income statement.

The revenues and expenses of foreign operations are translated at an average rate for the period.

The assets and liabilities of foreign operations are translated at foreign exchange rates ruling at the statement of financial position 
date and foreign exchange differences are taken directly to the translation reserve.

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018FINANCIAL STATEMENTSCORPORATE GOVERNANCESTRATEGIC REPORT92

Notes to the accounts continued

26. Financial risk management continued
The following exchange rates (relative to sterling), which are significant to the Group, applied during the period:

US dollar

Canadian dollar

Euro

Czech koruna

Brazilian real

Average rate

Closing rate

2018

1.33

1.72

1.13

28.99

4.84

2017

1.30

1.69

1.15

30.17

4.16

2018

1.26

1.71

1.11

28.60

4.81

2017

1.35

1.69

1.13

28.76

4.49

The Czech koruna and Brazilian real ceased to be significant to the Group following the disposal of the I&TM business in 2017.

Forward foreign exchange contracts
The Group enters into forward foreign exchange contracts solely for the purpose of minimising currency exposures on sale and 
purchase transactions. The Group classifies its forward foreign exchange contracts used for hedging as cash flow hedges and states 
them at fair value.

Fair values
The fair value of forward foreign exchange contracts at 31 December was:

Cash flow hedges

Gain

Loss

Group

Company

2018 
£m

–

(0.8)

(0.8)

2017
 £m

0.3

–

0.3

2018
 £m

–

–

–

2017
 £m

–

–

–

The fair value is the gain/loss on all open forward foreign exchange contracts at the period end. These amounts are based on the 
market values of equivalent instruments at the period end date and all relate to those forward foreign exchange contracts that have 
been designated as effective cash flow hedges under IFRS9 Financial instruments: recognition and measurement.

There were no open forward foreign exchange contracts, as at either 31 December 2018 or 2017, that had been designated as fair 
value hedges under IFRS9 Financial instruments: recognition and measurement.

During the period a debit of £1.0m for the Group (2017: £0.4m credit) and £nil for the Company (2017: £0.1m) was recognised in the 
statements of comprehensive income in respect of cash flow hedges.

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018Contractual maturity date and future cash flows
The contractual maturity date and period when cash flows are expected to occur in relation to open forward foreign exchange 
contracts at 31 December were:

2018

 Between 
six and 
twelve 
months
 £m

Between 
twelve and 
twenty-four 
months
 £m

–

9.5

9.5

–

0.3

0.3

2018

 Between 
six and 
twelve 
months
 £m

Between 
twelve and 
twenty-four 
months
 £m

–

–

–

–

–

–

Less than 
six months 
£m

(0.5)

11.3

10.8

Less than 
six months 
£m

–

0.4

0.4

 Total
£m

(0.5)

21.1

20.6

Less than 
six months 
£m

(1.9)

11.8

9.9

2017

Between 
six and 
twelve 
months
 £m

Between 
twelve and 
twenty-four 
months
 £m

–

0.2

0.2

(0.3)

0.8

0.5

2017

Less than 
six months 
£m

 Between six 
and twelve 
months 
£m

(12.9)

15.9

3.0

(1.1)

1.4

0.3

Between 
twelve and 
twenty-four 
months
 £m

(0.2)

0.2

–

Total 
£m

–

0.4

0.4

Group

Outflow

Inflow

Company

Outflow

Inflow

The following movements in the cash flow hedge reserve relate to the hedges relating to cash flows from foreign currency 
trade receivables.

Group

Opening balance 1 January 2018 

Change in fair value of hedging instrument recognised in other comprehensive income (OCI) 

Reclassified from OCI to profit or loss

Closing balance at 31 December 2018

93

 Total 
£m

(2.2)

12.8

10.6

 Total
 £m

(14.2)

17.5

3.3

2018
 £m

0.2 

(0.8) 

(0.2)

(0.8) 

No ineffectiveness arose during 2018. The hedging instrument refers to the forward contracts in their entirety, with hedging on 
a forward to forward basis. 

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018FINANCIAL STATEMENTSCORPORATE GOVERNANCESTRATEGIC REPORT94

Notes to the accounts continued

26. Financial risk management continued
The effect of hedge accounting on the Group’s financial position and performance is as follows, including the outline timing and 
profile of the hedging instruments:

Group

Carrying amount 

Notional amount

US$ to Canadian $

Canadian $ to Euro

Hedge ratio

Average forward rates

US$ to Canadian $

Canadian $ to Euro

Change in the fair value of the currency forward (excluding amounts reclassified) 

Change in the fair value of the hedged item used to determine hedge effectiveness

Amounts in the cash flow hedge reserve 

2018

GBP£0.8m 

CA$35.9m 

€0.6m

1:1

1US$:1.3117CA$

1CA$:0.645€

£0.8m

£0.8m

£0.8m

No other currency pairs at 31 December 2018 or during the year had a material value to the Group.

Currency profile
The currency profiles at 31 December of cash and cash equivalents and interest-bearing loans and borrowings are shown within the 
interest rate risk section in this note.
The main functional currency of the Group is sterling. The following analysis of financial assets and liabilities (excluding net funds/
debt) shows the Group and Company exposure after the effects of forward foreign exchange contracts used to manage 
currency exposure.

The amounts shown represent the transactional exposures that give rise to net currency gains and losses which are recognised in the 
Consolidated income statement. Such exposures represent the financial assets and liabilities of the Group and the Company that are 
not denominated in the functional currency of the business involved.

Group

Functional currency:

Sterling

Canadian dollar

Euro

Company

Functional currency:

Sterling

2018

2017

US dollar 
£m

0.1

3.6

–

3.7

Euro
 £m

0.1

0.4

–

0.5

Total 
£m

US dollar 
£m

0.2

4.0

–

4.2

–

2.0

–

2.0

Euro 
£m

0.1

0.7

(0.1)

0.7

US dollar 
£m

2018

Euro 
£m

Total 
£m

US dollar 
£m

2017

Euro 
£m

Total
 £m

0.1

2.7

(0.1)

2.7

Total 
£m

0.1

0.1

0.2

–

–

–

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 201895

Sensitivity to foreign currency risk 
Average exchange rates are used to translate the profits of foreign operations in the Consolidated income statement. If sterling had 
been 10% stronger against all foreign currencies during the year, the effect of this on the average exchange rates used to translate 
profits would have increased Group profit for the year by £0.2m (2017: £0.6m). If sterling had been 10% weaker against all foreign 
currencies during the year, the effect of this on the average exchange rates used to translate profits would have decreased Group 
profit for the year by £0.2m (2017: £0.5m).

If sterling had been 10% stronger against all foreign currencies at 31 December 2017, Group equity would have reduced by £0.5m 
(2017: £0.4m). Conversely, if sterling had been 10% weaker against all foreign currencies at 31 December 2018, Group equity would 
have increased by £0.6m (2017: £0.3m). This analysis assumes that all other variables remain constant.

Fair values 
The fair value of borrowings at fixed rates for both the Group and the Company at 31 December 2018 is £0.8m (2017: £0.8m) and has 
been calculated by discounting the expected future cash flows at prevailing interest rates.

There are no other significant differences between book and fair values for any of the other financial assets or liabilities included 
in either the Group or Company statement of financial position.

Capital management 
Capital comprises total equity as shown in the statements of financial position. The Group’s policy is to maintain a strong capital 
base so as to maintain investor, creditor and market confidence and to sustain the future development of the business. The Group 
manages its capital structure and makes adjustments to it in light of the economic conditions. To maintain or adjust the capital 
structure, the Group may adjust the dividend payment to shareholders, return capital to shareholders or issue new shares.

The Group monitors capital through measures of earnings per share (see note 11), return on capital employed (profit for the period 
divided by average equity) and tangible net worth (total equity before intangible assets and employee benefits, net of tax). There 
were no changes to the Group’s approach to capital management during the year and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries 
are subject to externally imposed capital requirements.

27.  Operating leases
Non-cancellable operating lease rentals are payable as follows:

Less than one year

Between one and five years

More than five years

Group

Company

2018 
£m

0.8

2.7

0.7

4.2

2017
 £m

0.7

3.0

1.0

4.7

2018 
£m

–

0.1

–

0.1

2017
 £m

–

0.1

–

0.1

The Group leases a number of manufacturing and service facilities under operating leases. The lease terms have the option to renew 
at the end of the lease term.

During the year £0.6m was recognised as an expense in the Consolidated income statement in respect of operating leases of the 
continuing operations (2017: £0.6m). In addition, £nil (2017: £0.4m) was recognised as an expense in the consolidated income 
statement in respect of operating leases of the discontinued operations.

28.  Capital commitments

Capital investment contracted but not provided for

Group

Company

2018 
£m

–

2017
 £m

–

2018 
£m

–

2017 
£m

–

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018FINANCIAL STATEMENTSCORPORATE GOVERNANCESTRATEGIC REPORT 
96

Notes to the accounts continued

29.  Contingent liabilities

Contingent liabilities in respect of guarantees and indemnities related to sales 
and other contracts

Group

Company

2018 
£m

1.0

2017
 £m

2.1

2018 
£m

1.0

2017
 £m

3.4

30.  Discontinued operations 
On 1 August 2017 the Group sold its Instrumentation & Tobacco Machinery (I&TM) business. The results of the I&TM business are 
presented as results from a discontinued operation in the consolidated income statement and the comparative information has been 
re-presented accordingly. The table below shows the results of the discontinued operations included in the Group’s consolidated 
income statement and the Group’s statement of cash flow.

Income statement for the period to 1 August 2017

Revenue from trading activities

Costs from trading activities

Operating profit from trading activities

Financial income from trading activities

Profit before tax from trading activities

Income tax expense from trading activities

Profit after tax from trading activities

Costs incurred on disposal

Loss on disposal of net assets

Tax on disposal of net assets

Foreign exchange gains recycled through income statement

(Loss)/profit after tax

Cash flow statement for the period to 1 August 2017

Operating activities

Operating profit

Non-underlying items included in operating profit

Amortisation

Depreciation

Net movements in working capital

Cash flows from operations before reorganisation

Reorganisation costs paid

Cash flows from operating activities

Investing activities

Cash flows from investing activities

Net increase in cash and cash equivalents

2017
 £m

21.1

(19.1)

2.0

0.1

2.1

(0.2)

1.9

(1.1)

(0.8)

(1.9)

1.1

(0.8)

2017 
£m

2.0

–

0.6

0.4

1.4

4.4

–

4.4

(0.3)

4.1

In 2017 the loss per ordinary share from discontinued operations was 3.8p and the diluted loss per ordinary share from discontinued 
operations was 3.8p.

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018 
 
97

31.  Related parties
Transactions with key management personnel
The compensation of key management personnel is disclosed in the Remuneration report on pages 34 to 35

Identity of related parties 
The Company has a related party relationship with its subsidiaries (see note 32), directors and the UK and USA defined benefit 
pension schemes. In the course of normal operations, related party transactions entered into by the Group have been contracted 
on an arm’s-length basis.

Details regarding transactions involving the directors and their remuneration can be found in the Remuneration report on 
pages 34 to 35.

The Group recharges the UK defined benefit pension scheme with the costs of administration incurred by the Group. The total 
amount recharged in the year to 31 December 2018 was £0.4m (2017: £0.2m).

32.  Group entities
All intra-group related party transactions and outstanding balances are eliminated in the preparation of the consolidated financial 
statements of the Group and therefore in accordance with IAS 24 Related party disclosures are not disclosed.

Subsidiary undertakings 
Details of all subsidiary undertakings are shown below. Principal subsidiary undertakings are shown on page 108. Subsidiary 
undertakings are, unless otherwise shown in brackets below, registered in England and Wales. Unless otherwise specified below, 
all subsidiaries are 100% owned by the Company.

Principal subsidiary undertakings 

Registered office

6500 Kitimat Road, Unit 1, Mississauga, Ontario 
LN5 2B8, Canada

Subsidiary undertakings

Langen Packaging Inc (Canada)

Edisonstraat 14, 6604 BV Wijchen, The Netherlands

Langenpac BV (Netherlands)

8 Burn Road, #09-01 Trivex, Singapore 369977

Langen Pte. Ltd (Singapore)

Subsidiary undertakings registered at Mpac Group plc Registered Office

Arista Laboratories Europe Limited

Mpac Machine Company Limited

Molmac Engineering Limited

Hartsvale Limited

Mpac Machinery Limited

Thrissell Limited

Mpac Corporate Services Limited

Mpac Overseas Holdings Limited

Mpac Group Holdings Limited

Mpac ITCM Limited

Overseas subsidiary undertakings

Registered office

Mpac Tobacco Machinery Limited

Subsidiary undertakings

6500 Kitimat Road, Unit 1, Mississauga, Ontario

1456074 Ontario Inc (Canada)

LN5 2B8, Canada

928142 Ontario Inc (Canada)

Mpac Corporation (USA)

ITCM North America Inc (USA)

Mpac Delaware, Inc (USA)

Mpac Laboratories, Inc (USA)

SASIB Corporation of America (USA)

Mpac Machine Company, Inc (USA)

Mpac Richmond, Inc (USA)

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018FINANCIAL STATEMENTSCORPORATE GOVERNANCESTRATEGIC REPORT98

Notes to the accounts continued

32.  Group entities continued
During the year ended 31 December 2018 the Company received interest income from subsidiary undertakings of £nil (2017: £nil), 
management fees of £0.7m (2017: £0.7m).and brand fees of £1.6m (2017:£nil)

At 31 December 2018 amounts owed by subsidiary undertakings to the Company were £0.5m (2017: £0.1m) and amounts owed 
by the Company to subsidiary undertakings were £19.0m (2017: £16.5m). The amounts owed by subsidiary undertakings to the 
Company are stated after a provision of £12.0m (2017: £10.2m) representing amounts owed to the Company which are no longer 
considered recoverable.

At 31 December 2018 investments in subsidiaries by the Company were £47.4m (2017: £47.4m).

33.  Accounting estimates and judgements 
The development, selection and disclosure of the Group’s critical accounting policies and estimates, and the application of these 
policies and estimates, are considered as part of the remit of the Audit Committee.

Estimates and judgements
Estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis, with revisions recognised in the year in which the estimates 
are revised and in any future years affected. The areas involving significant risk resulting in a material adjustment to the carrying 
amounts of assets and liabilities within the next financial year are as follows:

Pension accounting 
Changes to key assumptions used for calculating the net pension asset/liability of the Group can have a significant impact on the 
accounting valuation of the Group’s defined benefit pension schemes. The key assumptions used in calculating the net pension 
asset/liability for the Group are disclosed in note 24. The value of the schemes’ liabilities is particularly sensitive to the discount, 
inflation and mortality rates used. An analysis of the impact on the net pension asset/liability to changes in these assumptions is 
also disclosed in note 24.

Deferred tax
Management have recognised a deferred tax asset of £1.7m based on historic losses which is expected to be utilised over the next 
five year period. The assessment of this utilisation is based on the Group’s latest budget, which is adjusted for significant non taxable 
income and expenses, along with specific limits to the utilisation of the tax credits. Further details of the asset is in note 16.

Revenue recognition
The group recognises revenue and gross margin on long term contracts over time, in accordance with IFRS15, based upon the total 
number of hours expected to be used on the contract and the number of hours required to complete the contract. Total expected 
revenue, the number of hours and cost of materials to complete the contract reflect management’s best estimate of the probable 
future benefits and obligations associated with the contract. Obligations on contracts may result in penalties due to late completion 
of contractual milestones or unanticipated costs due to project modifications, unexpected conditions or events. Further detail in 
respect of revenue recognition is shown in the accounting policies note and note 1.

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018Five year record

Revenue1

Underlying operating profit/(loss)2 

Non-underlying items

Operating (loss)/profit

Net financing expense

(Loss)/profit before tax

Taxation

(Loss)/profit for the period from continuing operations

Loss for the period from discontinued operations

(Loss)/profit for the period

Underlying operating return on sales2

Underlying earnings/(loss) per ordinary share2

Basic (loss)/earnings per ordinary share

Dividends per ordinary share in respect of the year

Intangible assets

Property, plant and equipment and investment property

Inventories

Trade and other receivables (including taxation)

Employee benefits

Trade and other payables (including taxation and provisions)

Net funds/(debt)

Net assets

Net assets per ordinary share

Ordinary shares in issue (000’s)

1  From continuing operations.
2  Before non-underlying items and discontinued operations 

99

2014
 £m

40.5

(0.1)

(0.7)

(0.8)

(0.4)

(1.2)

0.2

(1.0)

0.7

(0.3)

(0.3)%

(2.1)p

(1.3)p

5.5p

15.7

12.1

18.5

32.6

(20.6)

(30.3)

28.0

(2.1)

25.9

128p

2018
 £m

58.3

1.4

(9.0)

(7.6)

0.2

(7.4)

1.4

(6.0)

–

(6.0)

2.4%

4.5p

(30.1p)

–

1.0

5.2

3.3 

24.9

14.3

(35.1)

 27.0

40.6

201p

2017 
£m

53.4

1.3

3.3

4.6

(0.3)

4.3

(1.9)

2.4

(0.8)

1.6

2.4%

4.2p

20.6p

–

0.9

4.8

2.4

22.7

11.4

(28.8)

13.4

29.4

42.8

212p

2016
 £m

41.5

(1.2)

(1.7)

(2.9)

(0.2)

(3.1)

0.7

(2.4)

1.8

(0.6)

(3.1)%

(6.0)p

(3.3)p

1.25p

15.2

9.3

13.0

29.3

(2.2)

(30.0)

34.6

0.8

35.4

176p

2015 
£m

51.0

2.5

(0.8)

1.7

(0.8)

0.9

0.1

1.0

(5.1)

(4.1)

5.0%

10.8p

(20.9)p

4.0p

14.9

8.8

15.1

22.1

4.0

(25.1)

39.8

(3.2)

36.6

181p

20,172

20,172

20,172

20,172

20,172

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018FINANCIAL STATEMENTSCORPORATE GOVERNANCESTRATEGIC REPORT100

Principal divisions and subsidiaries

The divisions and subsidiary undertakings shown include those which principally affect the profits and net assets of the Group as at 
the date of this report. Overseas companies operate and are incorporated in the countries in which they are based. In all cases the 
class of shares held is ordinary equity shares (or equivalent) and the proportion held is 100% unless otherwise indicated. Shares in 
the UK companies are held directly by Mpac Group plc and those in the other overseas subsidiaries by intermediate 
holding companies.

Americas
Langen Packaging Inc. 
6500 Kitimat Road, Unit 1
Mississauga
Ontario L5N 2B8
Canada

Tel: +1 905 670 7200
E-mail: info.americas@mpac-group.com

Europe, Middle East & Africa
Langenpac BV 
Edisonstraat 14
6604 BV Wijchen
The Netherlands

Tel: +31 24 648 6655
E-mail: info.emea@mpac-group.com

Mpac Langen 
13 Westwood Way
Westwood Business Park
Coventry
CV4 8HS
United Kingdom

Tel: +44 (0)2476 421100
E-mail: info.coventry@mpac-group.com

Asia Pacific 
Langen Pte. Ltd. 
8 Burn Road,
#09–01 Trivex, 
Singapore 369977

Tel: +65 63 39 96 66
E-mail: info.asia@mpac-group.com

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018Notice of Annual General Meeting

101

Notice is hereby given that the one hundred and seventh Annual General Meeting (the Meeting) of Mpac Group plc (the Company) 
will be held at the Company’s nominated advisers offices at Panmure Gordon & Co, One New Change, London, EC4M 9AF on 
Thursday 2 May 2019 at 12 noon to consider and, if thought appropriate, to pass the following resolutions, of which resolutions 
1 to 10 will be proposed as ordinary resolutions and resolutions 11 to 14 will be proposed as special resolutions:

Ordinary resolutions 
Report and Accounts
1.  To receive the audited annual accounts of the Company for the year ended 31 December 2018 together with the directors’ report 

and the auditors’ report on those annual accounts.

Directors
2.  To elect Mr W C Wilkins as a director.

3.  To elect Mr D G Robertson as a director.

4.  To re-elect Mr J L Davies as a director.

5.  To re-elect Mr A J Kitchingman as a director.

6.  To re-elect Dr A Steels as a director.

7.  To approve the Remuneration report set out on pages 32 to 40 of the Annual Report and Accounts 2018.

Auditors
8.  To appoint Grant Thornton UK LLP as auditors of the Company to hold office from the conclusion of this Meeting until the 

conclusion of the next AGM at which accounts are laid before the Company.

Remuneration of Auditors
9.  To authorise the Audit Committee to determine the remuneration of the auditors.

Directors’ authority to allot shares
10.  To generally and unconditionally authorise the directors pursuant to and in accordance with Section 551 of the Companies Act 

2006 (the Act), in substitution for all previous authorities to the extent unused, to exercise all the powers of the Company to allot 
shares in the Company and to grant rights to subscribe for or to convert any security into shares in the Company

a)  up to an aggregate nominal amount of £1,680,000 (representing approximately one third of the total ordinary share capital 

in issue at 29 March 2019, being the latest date prior to publication of this notice of meeting); and

b)  comprising equity securities (as defined in Section 560 (1) of the Act) up to a further aggregate nominal value of £1,680,000 
in connection with an offer by way of a rights issue, such authorities to expire at the conclusion of the 2020 AGM or if earlier, 
at close of business on 2 August 2020, save that the Company may before such expiry make an offer or agreement which 
would or might require shares to be allotted or rights to subscribe for or convert any security into shares to be granted after 
the authority ends.

For the purposes of this Resolution, ‘rights issue’ means an offer to:

a)  shareholders in proportion (as nearly as may be practicable) to their existing holdings; and

b)  holders of other equity securities if this is required by the rights of those securities or, if the directors consider it necessary, 

as permitted by the rights of those securities;

to subscribe for further securities by means of the issue of a renounceable letter (or other negotiable document) which may be 
traded for a period before payment for the securities is due, but subject in both cases to such exclusions or other arrangements 
as the directors consider necessary or appropriate in relation to treasury shares, fractional entitlements, record dates or legal, 
regulatory or practical problems in, or under the laws of, any territory.

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018FINANCIAL STATEMENTSCORPORATE GOVERNANCESTRATEGIC REPORT102

Notice of Annual General meeting continued

Special resolutions
Disapplication of pre-emption rights
11.  That if resolution 10 is passed, the Board be authorised to allot equity securities (as defined in the Companies Act 2006) for cash 
under the authority given by that resolution and/or to sell ordinary shares held by the Company as treasury shares for cash as if 
section 561 of the Companies Act 2006 did not apply to any such allotment or sale, such authority to be limited:

a)  to allotments for rights issues and other pre-emptive issues; and

b)  to the allotment of equity securities or sale of treasury shares (otherwise than under paragraph (a) above) up to a nominal 
amount of £252,000, such authority to expire at the conclusion of the 2020 AGM of the Company (or, if earlier, at close of 
business on 2 August 2020) but, in each case, prior to its expiry the Company may make offers, and enter into agreements, 
which would, or might, require equity securities to be allotted (and treasury shares to be sold) after the authority expires and 
the Board may allot equity securities (and sell treasury shares) under any such offer or agreement as if the authority had 
not expired.

12.  That if resolution 10 is passed, the Board be authorised in addition to any authority granted under resolution 11 to allot equity 
securities (as defined in the Companies Act 2006) for cash under the authority given by that resolution and/or to sell ordinary 
shares held by the Company as treasury shares for cash as if section 561 of the Companies Act 2006 did not apply to any such 
allotment or sale, such authority to be:

a) 

limited to the allotment of equity securities or sale of treasury shares up to a nominal amount of £252,000; and

b)  used only for the purposes of financing (or refinancing, if the authority is to be used within six months after the original 
transaction) a transaction which the Board of the Company determines to be an acquisition or other capital investment 
of a kind contemplated by the Statement of Principles on Dis-applying Pre-Emption Rights most recently published by the 
Pre-Emption Group prior to the date of this notice, such authority to expire at the end of the next AGM of the Company (or, if 
earlier, at close of business on 2 August 2020) save that, in each case, the Company may before such expiry make offers, and 
enter into agreements, which would, or might, require equity securities to be allotted (and treasury shares to be sold) after the 
authority expires and the Board may allot equity securities (and sell treasury shares) under any such offer or agreement as if 
the authority had not expired.

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018103

Authority to purchase of own shares
13.

That the Company be generally and unconditionally authorised for the purpose of Section 701 of the Act to make market
purchases (as defined in Section 693 of the Act) of ordinary shares of 25 pence each in the capital of the Company (‘ordinary
shares’) provided that:

a)

b)

c)

d)

the maximum number of ordinary shares hereby authorised to be purchased is 3,000,000;

the minimum price (exclusive of expenses) which may be paid for such ordinary shares is 25 pence per share, being the
nominal amount thereof;

the maximum price (exclusive of expenses) which may be paid for such ordinary shares shall be an amount equal to the higher
of: (i) 5% above the average of the middle market quotations for such shares taken from The London Stock Exchange Daily
Official List for the five business days immediately preceding the day on which the purchase is made; and (ii) the price of the
last independent trade of an ordinary share and the highest current independent bid for an ordinary share as derived from the
London Stock Exchange Trading System (SETS); and

the authority hereby conferred shall (unless previously renewed or revoked) expire at the end of the 2020 AGM, save that the
Company may before such expiry make a contract or agreement to make a market purchase of its own ordinary shares which
will or may be executed wholly or partly after the expiry of such authority and the Company may purchase such shares as if
the authority conferred hereby had not expired.

Notice of general meetings
14.

That a general meeting of the Company, other than annual general meetings of the Company, may be called on not less than
14 clear days’ notice.

By order of the Board

Duncan Tyler
Secretary
1 April 2019

Registered in England and Wales
No. 00124855

Registered office:
13 Westwood Way
Westwood Business Park
Coventry
CV4 8HS

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018FINANCIAL STATEMENTSCORPORATE GOVERNANCESTRATEGIC REPORT 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
104

Notice of Annual General meeting continued

Notes relating to the notice
The following notes explain your general rights as a shareholder and your right to attend and vote at this Meeting or to appoint 
someone else to vote on your behalf.

Entitlement to attend and vote
1.  To be entitled to attend and vote at the Meeting (and for the purpose of the determination by the Company of the number of votes 
they may cast), shareholders must be registered in the Register of Members of the Company at close of trading on Tuesday 30 
April 2019, or if the meeting is adjourned, close of business on the day which is two days’ prior to the adjourned meeting. In each 
case, changes to the Register of Members after the relevant deadline shall be disregarded in determining the rights of any person 
to attend and vote at the Meeting. 

Appointment of proxies
2.  Shareholders, or their proxies, intending to attend the Meeting in person are requested, if possible, to arrive at the Meeting venue 
at least 20 minutes prior to the commencement of the Meeting at 12 noon (UK time) on 2 May 2019 so that their shareholding 
may be checked against the Company’s Register of Members and attendances recorded.

3.  Shareholders are entitled to appoint another person as a proxy to exercise all or part of their rights to attend and to speak and 

vote on their behalf at the Meeting. A shareholder may appoint more than one proxy in relation to the Meeting provided that each 
proxy is appointed to exercise the rights attached to a different ordinary share or ordinary shares held by that shareholder. A 
proxy need not be a shareholder of the Company. 

4. 

In the case of joint holders, where more than one of the joint holders purports to appoint a proxy, only the appointment submitted 
by the most senior holder will be accepted. Seniority is determined by the order in which the names of the joint holders appear in 
the Company’s Register of Members in respect of the joint holding (the first named being the most senior).

5.  A vote withheld is not a vote in law, which means that the vote will not be counted in the calculation of votes for or against the 

resolution. If no voting indication is given, your proxy will vote or abstain from voting at his or her discretion. Your proxy will vote 
(or abstain from voting) as he or she thinks fit in relation to any other matter which is put before the Meeting.

6.  You can vote either:

 » by logging on to www.signalshares.com and following the instructions;
 » You may request a hard copy form of proxy directly from the registrars, Link Asset Services (previously called Capita), on Tel: 
+44 (0)371 664 0391. Calls cost 12p per minute plus your phone company’s access charge. Calls outside the United Kingdom 
will be charged at the applicable international rate. Lines are open between 09:00 – 17:30, Monday to Friday excluding public 
holidays in England and Wales. Alternatively, email Link at shareholderenquiries@linkgroup.co.uk

 » in the case of CREST members, by utilising the CREST electronic proxy appointment service in accordance with the 

procedures set out below.

 » In order for a proxy appointment to be valid a form of proxy must be completed. In each case the form of proxy must be 
received by Link Asset Services at 34 Beckenham Road, Beckenham, Kent, BR3 4ZF by 12 noon on 30 April 2019.

7. 

 If you return more than one proxy appointment, either by paper or electronic communication, the appointment received last 
by the Registrar before the latest time for the receipt of proxies will take precedence. You are advised to read the terms and 
conditions of use carefully. Electronic communication facilities are open to all shareholders and those who use them will not 
be disadvantaged.

8.  The return of a completed form of proxy, electronic filing or any CREST Proxy Instruction (as described in note 11 below) will not 

prevent a shareholder from attending the Meeting and voting in person if he/she wishes to do so.

9.  CREST members who wish to appoint a proxy or proxies through the CREST electronic proxy appointment service may do so for 
the Meeting (and any adjournment of the Meeting) by using the procedures described in the CREST Manual (available from www.
euroclear.com/site/public/EUI). CREST Personal Members or other CREST sponsored members, and those CREST members who 
have appointed a service provider(s), should refer to their CREST sponsor or voting service provider(s), who will be able to take 
the appropriate action on their behalf.

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018105

Notes relating to the notice continued
10.  In order for a proxy appointment or instruction made by means of CREST to be valid, the appropriate CREST message (a ‘CREST 
Proxy Instruction’) must be properly authenticated in accordance with Euroclear UK & Ireland Limited’s specifications and must 
contain the information required for such instructions, as described in the CREST Manual. The message must be transmitted so 
as to be received by the issuer’s agent (ID RA10) by the latest time for receipt of proxy appointments specified above. For this 
purpose, the time of receipt will be taken to mean the time (as determined by the timestamp applied to the message by the 
CREST application host) from which the issuer’s agent is able to retrieve the message by enquiry to CREST in the manner 
prescribed by CREST. After this time, any change of instructions to proxies appointed through CREST should be communicated 
to the appointee through other means.

11.  CREST members and, where applicable, their CREST sponsors or voting service providers should note that Euroclear UK & 

Ireland Limited does not make available special procedures in CREST for any particular message. Normal system timings and 
limitations will, therefore, apply in relation to the input of CREST Proxy Instructions. It is the responsibility of the CREST member 
concerned to take (or, if the CREST member is a CREST personal member, or sponsored member, or has appointed a voting 
service provider(s), to procure that his CREST sponsor or voting service provider(s) take(s)) such action as shall be necessary to 
ensure that a message is transmitted by means of the CREST system by any particular time. In this connection, CREST members 
and, where applicable, their CREST sponsors or voting system providers are referred, in particular, to those sections of the 
CREST Manual concerning practical limitations of the CREST system and timings. The Company may treat as invalid a CREST 
Proxy Instruction in the circumstances set out in Regulation 35(5)(a) of the Uncertificated Securities Regulations 2001.

Corporate representatives
12.  Any corporation which is a shareholder can appoint one or more corporate representatives who may exercise on its behalf all of 

its powers as a shareholder provided that no more than one corporate representative exercises powers in relation to the 
same shares.

Issued shares and total voting rights
13.  As at 29 March 2019 (being the latest practicable business day prior to the publication of this Notice), the Company’s ordinary 
issued share capital consists of 20,171,540 ordinary shares, carrying one vote each. Therefore, the total voting rights in the 
Company as at 29 March 2019 are 20,171,540.

Questions at the meeting
14.  Any shareholder attending the Meeting has the right to ask questions. The Company must cause to be answered any such 

question relating to the business being dealt with at the Meeting but no such answer need be given if: (a) to do so would interfere 
unduly with the preparation for the Meeting or involve the disclosure of confidential information; (b) the answer has already been 
given on a website in the form of an answer to a question; or (c) it is undesirable in the interests of the Company or the good order 
of the Meeting that the question be answered.

Documents on display
15.  Copies of the executive Directors’ service contracts and letters of appointment of the Non-Executive Directors may be inspected 
during normal business hours at the registered office of the Company on any business day from the date of this Notice until the 
time of the Meeting and may also be inspected at the Meeting venue, as specified in this Notice, from 11.45am on the day of the 
Meeting until the conclusion of the Meeting.

Communication
16.  You may not use any electronic address (within the meaning of Section 333(4) of the Companies Act 2006) provided in either this 
Notice or any related documents (including the form of proxy) to communicate with the Company for any purposes other than 
those expressly stated.

Website giving information regarding the meeting
17.  A copy of this Notice, and other information required by Section 311A of the Companies Act 2006, can be found on the 

Company’s website at www.mpac-group.com.

After the meeting
18.  Members will have the opportunity to meet the directors of the Company.

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018FINANCIAL STATEMENTSCORPORATE GOVERNANCESTRATEGIC REPORT106

Notice of Annual General meeting continued

Explanatory notes on the resolutions
Resolutions 1 to 10 are ordinary resolutions; resolutions 11 to 14 are special resolutions. To be passed, ordinary resolutions require 
more than 50% of votes cast to be in favour of the resolution whilst special resolutions require at least 75% of the votes cast to be 
in favour of the resolution.

Ordinary Resolutions
To receive the Annual Report and Accounts 2018
Resolution 1 is a standard resolution. The Companies Act 2006 requires the directors to lay before the Company in a general meeting 
copies of the Company’s annual accounts, and the directors’ report and auditor’s report on those accounts. The Annual Report and 
Accounts 2018, which includes this Notice of Annual General Meeting, will be available online at www.mpac-group.com.

Election and re-election of directors
Resolution 2 seeks approval for the election of Mr W C Wilkins, who was appointed as Group Finance Director on 22 June 2018. 

Resolution 3 seeks approval for the election of Mr D G Robertson, who was appointed as an independent Non-Executive Director 
on 1 November 2018. 

This year, in accordance with best practice in corporate governance, all the remaining directors are standing for re-election. 
Resolutions 3 to 6 seek approval for the re-election of the remaining directors.

Biographical information for each of the directors is provided on page 24 of the Annual Report and Accounts 2018.

The Board has no hesitation in recommending the election or re-election of the directors to shareholders. In making these 
recommendations, the Board confirms that it has given careful consideration to the Board’s balance of skills, knowledge and 
experience and is satisfied that each of the directors putting themselves forward for election or re-election has sufficient time 
to discharge their duties effectively, taking into account their other commitments.

Remuneration report
Resolution 7 seeks shareholders’ approval for the Directors’ Remuneration report, excluding the summary Directors’ Remuneration 
Policy which is set out on pages 36 to 40 of the Annual Report and Accounts 2018, for the year ended 31 December 2018. The vote 
is advisory only.

Appointment of auditors
The auditors of a company must be appointed or re-appointed at each general meeting at which the accounts are laid. 

In our 2017 Annual report, the Audit Committee stated its intention to hold a competitive tender for external audit services during 
the year, due to the long tenure of KPMG LLP as auditors of the Group and as the Senior Statutory Auditor was due to change under 
KPMG’s internal policy of rotating audit partners every five years. A competitive tender process was conducted in the summer of 
2018, resulting in the appointment of Grant Thornton UK LLP as the Group’s external auditor with effect from 3 September 2018. 

Resolution 8 seeks approval to appoint Grant Thornton UK LLP as the Company’s auditors until the conclusion of the next general 
meeting of the Company at which accounts are laid.

Remuneration of auditors
Resolution 9 seeks consent for the directors to determine the remuneration of the auditors.

Directors’ authority to allot shares
Resolution 10 seeks consent for shareholders to grant the directors authority to allot shares or grant rights to subscribe for or 
convert securities into shares, up to a maximum aggregate nominal value of £3,360,000, which is approximately two-thirds of the 
nominal value of the issued ordinary share capital of the Company as at 29 March 2019, being the latest practicable date prior to the 
publication of this notice. £1,680,000 of this authority is reserved for a fully pre-emptive rights issue. This is the maximum permitted 
amount under best practice corporate governance guidelines. The authority will expire at the next Annual General Meeting of the 
Company or if earlier, at close of business on 2 August 2020. The directors have no current intention of exercising such authority 
and will exercise this power only when they believe that such exercise is in the best interests of the shareholders.

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018107

Special resolutions
Disapplication of pre-emption rights 
Resolutions 11 and 12 will be proposed as special resolutions, each requiring a majority of 75% of those voting to be in favour. 
If the directors wish to allot new shares and other equity securities, or sell treasury shares, for cash (other than in connection 
with an employee share scheme), company law requires that these shares are offered first to shareholders in proportion to their 
existing holdings.

Resolution 11 deals with the authority of the directors to allot new shares or other equity securities pursuant to the authority given 
by resolution 10, or sell treasury shares, for cash without the shares or other equity securities first being offered to shareholders in 
proportion to their existing holdings. Such authority shall only be used in connection with a pre-emptive offer, or otherwise, up to an 
aggregate nominal amount of £252,000, being approximately 5% of the total issued ordinary share capital of the Company as at 
29 March 2019.

The Pre-Emption Group Statement of Principles supports the annual disapplication of pre-emption rights in respect of allotments 
of shares and other equity securities (and sales of treasury shares for cash) representing no more than an additional 5% of issued 
ordinary share capital (exclusive of treasury shares), to be used only in connection with an acquisition or specified capital investment. 
The Pre-Emption Group’s Statement of Principles defines ‘specified capital investment’ as meaning one or more specific capital 
investment related uses for the proceeds of an issuance of equity securities, in respect of which sufficient information regarding the 
effect of the transaction on the Company, the assets that are the subject of the transaction and (where appropriate) the profits 
attributable to them is made available to shareholders to enable them to reach an assessment of the potential return.

Accordingly, and in line with the template resolutions published by the Pre-Emption Group, resolution 12 seeks to authorise the 
directors to allot new shares and other equity securities pursuant to the authority given by resolution 11, or sell treasury shares, for 
cash up to a further nominal amount of £252,000, being approximately 5% of the total issued ordinary share capital of the Company 
as at 29 March 2019, only in connection with an acquisition or specified capital investment which is announced contemporaneously 
with the allotment, or which has taken place in the preceding six-month period and is disclosed in the announcement of the issue. 
If the authority given in resolution 12 is used, the Company will publish details of the placing in its next Annual Report. If these 
resolutions are passed, the authorities will expire at the end of the next AGM or at close of business on 2 August 2020, whichever 
is the earlier.

The Board considers the authorities in resolutions 11 and 12 to be appropriate in order to allow the Company flexibility to finance 
business opportunities or to conduct a rights issue or other pre-emptive offer without the need to comply with the strict requirements 
of the statutory pre-emption provisions. The Board does not intend to issue more than 7.5% of the issued share capital of the Company 
for cash on a non pre-emptive basis in any rolling three-year period (other than in connection with an acquisition or specified capital 
investment as described in the Pre-Emption Group’s Statement of Principles) without prior consultation with shareholders.

Authority to purchase own shares
Resolution 13 seeks authority for the Company to make market purchases of its own ordinary shares up to a maximum number of 
3,000,000 ordinary shares, representing approximately 15% of the issued ordinary share capital at 29 March 2019. The authority 
requested would replace a similar authority granted last year and would expire at the end of the 2020 AGM, or if earlier, at close of 
business on 2 August 2020.

In reaching a decision to purchase ordinary shares, the directors will take account of the Company’s cash resources and capital 
and the general effect of such purchase on the Company’s business. The authority would only be exercised by the directors if they 
considered it to be in the best interests of the shareholders generally and if the purchase could be expected to result in an increase 
in earnings per ordinary share.

Notice of general meetings
Resolution 14 is an annual permission request for general meetings, other than the AGM, to be called on 14 clear days’ notice. 
There is no current intention to hold such a meeting but the directors wish to retain the ability to call a meeting on shorter notice if 
the circumstances should require it. The Companies (Shareholders’ Rights) Regulations 2009 specify that approval must be sought 
from shareholders by special resolution at an annual or subsequent general meeting and the Company would need to make a means 
of electronic voting available to all shareholders for any general meeting called on less than 21 clear days’ notice. If passed, the 
resolution would remain valid until the end of the 2020 AGM, at which it is intended that a similar resolution will be proposed.

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018FINANCIAL STATEMENTSCORPORATE GOVERNANCESTRATEGIC REPORT108

Corporate information

Registered office 
13 Westwood Way 
Westwood Business Park
Coventry
CV4 8HS

Tel: +44 (0)2476 421100
Email: ho@mpac-group.com

Registered number 
124855

Secretary
Mr D E Tyler

Auditors
Grant Thornton UK LLP
The Colmore Building
20 Colmore Circus
Birmingham
B4 6AT

Nominated Advisor & Broker 
Panmure Gordon (UK) Limited
One New Change
London
EC4M 9AF

Registrars 
Link Asset Services
6th Floor
65 Gresham Street
London
EC2V 7NQ

Share price
Available from: 
FT Cityline – tel: +44 (0)905 817 1690
Certain national newspapers

Website
Further information is available at www.mpac-group.com

Timetable 
Annual General Meeting
2 May 2019

Payment dates for preference dividend
30 June 2019 and 31 December 2019

Half-year announcement
September 2019

Mpac Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2018Consultancy, design and production
www.luminous.co.uk

Design and production
www.luminous.co.uk

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Mpac Group plc 
13 Westwood Way 
Westwood Business Park 
Coventry CV4 8HS

Tel: +44 (0)2476 421100 
Email: ho@mpac-group.com 
mpac-group.com