About us

What We Do

If there are three words that sum up Gopak these are simply LIGHTWEIGHT.. ALUMINIUM.. FOLDING.

Folding tables with the same iconic twin-leg design that was conceived in the 1960s continue to be the mainstay of our manufacturing operations. But it is no longer only folding tables that leave our factory door.

Stacking benches complement our folding tables, making cost-effective and efficient seating for school dining halls and youth organisations. Trolleys have been specifically designed to store and transport folding tables, making them a great accessory for busy organisations that put up and take down tables on a daily basis.

Acquiring the design and goodwill for a lightweight staging system in 2006, known as “Ultralight”, we have significantly grown and developed this product range, introducing improvements to the design and construction of the staging components.

Adding performance staging to our portfolio has created opportunities to promote this clever staging solution to markets not only in the UK but also further afield.

The beauty of this stage is its lightness of weight and simplicity of assembly and disassembly. Constructed from aluminium like all other Gopak products, the folding stage is ideal for any organisation needing a good quality, easy-to-use temporary stage that takes up minimum space for storage.

Having made furniture that folds for the last five decades, a new manufacturing technique was introduced in 2011 allowing the Gopak team to offer a more diverse range of furniture, that can still be shipped flat pack but once assembled becomes a fixed leg product. Called Enviro because of its great environmental credentials and recyclable attributes, we offer a vast array of choices within this range of tables and benches to appeal to an ever-broadening marketplace, including education, business and events for both inside and outdoor use. From Early Years to further education and beyond, you will find an Enviro product to meet your needs.

Manufacturing the vast majority of items to order, enables us to offer all ranges of tables and benches in an unrivalled choice of colour options and sizes. We work on short lead times and hold a small number of tables in stock for next day. We always do our best not to disappoint any customers and aim to despatch orders as quickly as possible.

The Gopak timeline

The Gopak timeline Peter Le Fleming Shepherd started making furniture in a shed in Mayfield, East Sussex in 1947
1954	P S Le Shepherd Limited was incorporated
1955	The company relocated to Canterbury, Kent
1959	A heavy folding table with a steel pin leg was designed
1966	The first lightweight folding tables were made and sold to schools
1968	The company name was changed to Gopak Limited
1972	John Fieldwick was appointed Managing Director
1973	The company relocated to the coastal town of Hythe Kent
1977	The premises were extended as sales grew
1978	Agreements were established to supply Local Authorities throughout the UK
1988	Achieved ISO9001 for Quality Management System accreditation
1990	Complementary UK-sourced furniture was added to our range
1993	A significant design update was introduced making the Contour folding table and bench range the go-to furniture for school dining
1994	Andrew Fieldwick joined the company as Managing Director Designate
1995	A polyurethane-edged folding table launched and named Premier
1996	The development of table storage trolleys was completed
1998	An alternative folding mechanism called posi-lock was designed
2000	Demolished original unit purchased in 1973 and redeveloped to significantly increase m2
2002	Achieved Investors in People accreditation
2003	John Fieldwick retired and his son Andrew took over the role of Managing Director
2006	Gopak acquired the goodwill of Ultralight Staging Systems
2010	Purchased and demolished a neighbouring unit to create a large extension to our existing site
2011	Unit 1 was completed to accommodate the new Enviro framing process and house two automated machine centres
2013	Following a year of development and testing an ERP system was implemented
2014	A celebration of our 60th birthday was held for all staff at Port Lympne Wild Animal Park
2017	An automated robot was installed to manipulate and produce table legs
2020	The COVID-19 pandemic struck and the company worked hard to retain all staff and offer support during this difficult period
2023	Now fully operating exceeding pre-pandemic levels, with a team of 37 employees
2024	This year we celebrate 70 years since our incorporation

         2024          Along with celebrating 70 years of Gopak,  Willowbrook Education Group acquired the shareholding of Gopak and we are now proud to be part of the Willowbrook Family.

Our core values

Sustainability

Even when we were a start-up business in the 1950s, the ethos and philosophy of the company was to make furniture that was built to last, provide value for money and answered the need for space-saving solutions.  Nothing has changed decades on.

With the consistent and steady growth of the business, through the development of innovative products and continual investment, we have been able to achieve our goal of manufacturing excellence.  From the outset, we have quietly embraced sustainability and have been practising, without realising it, circularity for years.  (The term didn’t exist in 1954!)

By acting responsibly, making the right choices during product development and sensible decisions regarding production and operational processes, we have been able to provide positive outcomes for our customers, our employees and the wider community.  Through our continuous improvement programme, we have implemented Quality, Environment and Social Responsibility systems and policies, with QMS and EMS being accredited to the relevant standard.

Waste Management

It is nearly impossible to make something without there being an element of waste somewhere in the production cycle.  Strict recycling waste streams have been adopted for a large proportion of our waste and we have successfully removed any instances of waste going to landfill.  Packaging resulting from goods inward which includes cardboard and polythene, both of which are baled for transit are sent for recycling.  Clean aluminium off-cuts are collected in a specific skip which is accumulated and then sent for recycling.  All waste wood (pallets that cannot be recycled) is collated and collected by a wood recycling scheme.  Changing the method for wood recycling has reduced the number of skips used for general waste dramatically which is collected by a waste carrier who guarantees zero waste to landfill.

For many years our staff drinks dispensing machine only issued plastic cups.  Schemes for the recycling of plastic cups have come and gone illustrating the fragility of the UK’s commitment to recycling.  As soon as we were able, we switched to paper cups and these were sent for recycling through the National Cup Recycling Scheme.  Unfortunately, this scheme failed and is no longer available.  In 2023 we switched to a drinks vending machine which can dispense into your own cup.  A cold water dispenser has also been provided to allow staff to fill up their own reusable water bottles.  Since the introduction of the new drinks dispenser, our cup waste has reduced dramatically.

Energy Savings

Minimising our carbon footprint is embedded in our day-to-day practices.

These include but are not limited to:
•    Deliveries made using a carrier network leading to geographical delivery efficiencies along with negating the need for a fleet of own
vehicles.
•    Installation of LED lighting across our premises reducing both electricity usage and cost.
•    Investment in solar photovoltaics (PV) panels was first undertaken in 2012 and a further 250 panels were installed in July 2022 –
leading to a considerable reduction in both electricity usage and cost. (47% energy independence in summer months – 30% reduction
in KwH usage.
•    A companywide “turn off the lights” policy.
•    95% of employees live locally with no one travelling further than 15 miles to work.
•    The Bike2Work scheme is available to everyone to encourage employees to cycle to work.
•    All correspondence and communication conducted electronically.
•    Reduction in travel costs and emissions by sales personnel working remotely

Goals & Objectives

•    Communicate goals and targets externally through our Environmental Policy.
•    Measure progress and successes.
•    Improve existing processes and practices by reporting energy usage to the whole team for greater visibility.
•    Champion employee engagement and empowerment.
•    Identify and build a sustainability strategy that fits our business.

In Conclusion

Gopak is already well into its sustainable journey having successfully completed infrastructure upgrades.  We will continue our commitment to identify and deliver operational efficiencies, encourage changes in employee behaviours and measure and communicate energy usage including wastage and savings.  Our aim is to continue to produce products that have a long shelf life, are designed and made using recycled content, are packaged using packaging with a minimum 30% recycled content while operating clean manufacturing processes.