The company behind McDonald’s paper straws has ramped up production and is looking to grow its workforce.

Transcend Packaging, based in Ystrad Mynach, makes around 20 million paper straws a week from its 166,000 sq ft factory on Dyffryn Business Park.

The company, which began production in August 2018, has been helped with a £500,000 grant from the Welsh Government.

The company employs around 180 staff and is looking to grow this figure to more than 200 by December.

Lorenzo Angelucci, CEO, Transcend Packaging said: “When we launched this project, our ambition was to have 104 people within three years – a precise number agreed with the Welsh Government when they gave us a grant.

“We achieved and exceeded that target in less than a year. The figure was also part of the agreement we have with the council [which owns the building] because their objective is to generate jobs.

“We have exceeded expectations and that is because the market is in our favour.”

The latest firm to join the company’s growing customer base is Showcase Cinemas, which will no longer use plastic straws.

Mr Angelucci added: “Around 5 billion plastic straws are used every year in the UK, but the entertainment industry has lagged behind others in ditching plastic straws before they become illegal in April.

“We congratulate Showcase Cinemas for taking a stand and bringing in sustainable paper straws ahead of the ban.

“We are proud to have created sustainably-sourced, durable, biodegradable paper straws that prevent vast quantities of needless plastic from being produced and becoming harmful pollution.”

As well as paper straws, the firm is also working on several prototypes to replace other forms of single-use plastics.

It also specialises in digital printing and has recently signed a deal to produce gift cards made from recycled card – replacing the usual PVC types found in shops.