Owner and chairman of Packaging Automation has passed away after a short illness

Packaging Automation owner and chairman Anthony Penn has died, the company has announced.

Anthony Penn

Anthony Penn

The packaging machinery specialist said Penn passed away peacefully with his family at his side after a short illness in the early hours of Saturday 11 March.

The company was established in 1963 by Arthur Penn and in 1968 Anthony, the eldest of four siblings, joined his father in the business. He went on to become managing director in 1990 and then stepped into the role of chairman in 1998.

He continued to play an active role in the business right up until March 2023, paying regular visits to the factory and taking the time to chat to colleagues.

A statement from the company said: ”Anthony’s legacy will live on. He was a great engineer - becoming a chartered engineer at the age of 25 - an innovator and was passionate about passing on his knowledge and experience to future generations.

“Through the apprenticeship scheme which Anthony established in the 1980s, the business has trained more than 100 engineers. He was a great man who will be sadly missed.”