FY26 was an important year for James Cropper as the Group continued to execute against its revised strategy, delivered financial performance ahead of Board expectations, and strengthened the foundations for future growth.
Key highlights from the year include:
- Revenue growth – Group revenue increased 3.6% to £102.9m
- Improved profitability – Group Adjusted EBITDA increased 33% to £8.9m
- Stronger financial position – Net debt reduced by £4.8m to £8.1m, improving financial resilience and flexibility
These results demonstrate that the actions taken across the business are making a real difference. During the year, we made significant progress against our three strategic priorities:
- Growing Advanced Materials
- Restoring profitability in Paper & Packaging
- Maintaining disciplined financial management
Advanced Materials business delivered record revenue of £39.8m, up 11.5%, driven by strong customer-specific growth and continued demand in Hydrogen Coatings. The division also launched UNIMAT®, creating exciting new opportunities for recycled carbon fibres in high-performance composite applications.
Paper & Packaging business made significant strides, returning to EBITDA profitability in the second half of the year. Achieving this milestone despite the loss of a major customer reflects the impact of the divisions business improvement programme and the dedication of the team.
The Group also strengthened our balance sheet, reducing debt and completing a new financing arrangement shortly after year end, providing greater flexibility to support our long-term strategy.
Looking forward to FY27, the company does so with positive momentum. A strong Paper & Packaging order book and continued operational improvements provide a solid platform for progress, while in Advanced Materials we remain focused on delivering medium-term growth ambitions and expanding opportunities in sustainable, high-performance materials.
