Pioneering, innovation and insight

Lordos Plastics Ltd was established in 1960 by Photios Lordos. Following the 1974 Turkish invasion and occupation, the company was forced to relocate in Limassol and start from scratch in rented space at the Ypsonas industrial area.

Until 2000 the company was private and in 2002 turned public with its shares listed for trading on the Cyprus Stock Exchange under Lordos United Public Ltd.

The main activities of the company are, primarily, the production and marketing of industrial, agricultural, and construction materials as well as household plastic items.

The company also invests in real estate both in Cyprus and abroad.

Located in the 1st Industrial Area of Limassol, the company employs more than 200 skilled machine operators, as well as scientific personnel and associates in all areas of the production process. As noted by the Group, “our competent and visionary executives aim at the strengthening and dynamic development of the plastics market sector, while creating innovative products aimed at new foreign markets”.

Historical figures

Five pioneers are the founding members, historical company figures and first directors:

• Photios Lord – founder
• Dimitris Lordos – co-founder
• Anastasios Lord – co-founder
• Pantelakis Kyriakidis – shareholder
• Michalakis Petrou – shareholder

Landmarks

1960 . The first plastic production factory in Cyprus is established by Photios Lordos in Famagusta.
1974 . Turkish Invasion and occupation of Famagusta.-Company owners and staff made refugees. The company’s facilities and production plant are lost.
1975- 1978. Staff regroup in Limassol and relaunch production at a rented 1000 square meters warehouse.
1978. Relocation to privately owned properties of 10,000 square meters, gradually expanding to 50 thousand, 20 of which uncovered.
2002. Turns into a public company and listed on the Cyprus Stock Exchange
2005. Product Distribution Center in Nicosia
2015. Development of partnerships with foreign companies for distribution of new product lines.
2017. Investment in the recycling sector, making regenerated raw material products.
2019. Certification by the German certification organization “BLUE ANGEL” for the new range of environmentally friendly products ECOBAGS , produced from a minimum of 80% regenerated raw material from recycling. First exports to an international retail chain with 660 stores in several European cities.
2021. During the COVID-19 pandemic, new products in the hygiene and personal protection industry are created and marketed.
2022. Dynamic entry into the food industry by investing in the production of packaged materials (cheese products, including halloumi).

Timeless vision – values and principles

The long-term vision of the Group is an orientation towards development in new sectors, innovative products and services for the benefit of the end user. It is a vision that “remains steadfastly stable and timeless. The LORDOS UNITED brand always guarantees to customers and partners, quality and reliability of products”.

On values and principles, the Group note that “the long-term successful course of the Group over 60 years is the result of consistency based on the ethics established by the pioneers of our Group. The reliability and quality of the products, coupled with affordable sales prices , the commitment to excellence and innovation, as well as sustainability and respect for the environment”. These are “unchangeable and inviolable values and principles”, as Lordos United  conclude.

Sustainable development strategy

The company’s philosophy has always been the production and distribution of top design high-quality plastic products, satisfying consumer needs. However, the ultimate goal has always been to ensure the necessary respect and protection of the environment.

This is why the company invested in the following actions:

• Quality Management System:

Since 1997 the company has been operating under the EN ISO 9001 Quality Management System. This imposes strict control on plastics production on a daily basis.

• Production of regenerated raw materials:

The company is an authorized plastic recycler in Cyprus for 4000 tons per year. This amount corresponds to approximately half the amount it uses annually. Since 2012, the company applies the provisions of ISO14001 in the Environmental Management System.

At all stages of production, the company ensures maximum protection of the environment by minimising emissions and waste.

Double award

Lordos was honored with two awards in 2020 United Plastics in the context of the Cyprus Retail Excellence Awards . It was awarded in the “Strategic Development, Successful Product Launch or Relaunch ” category for Ecobags by Lordos Plastics and in the “Corporate Social Responsibility” category for the program that promoted “Society and the environment in the foreground”.

As reported by the Group, in Lordos United Plastics “feel great satisfaction for these two important distinctions which come to reward two important efforts of the company, which combine its values and priorities, in innovation, environmental protection and giving back to society”.

As the Group says, “true to its values, Lordos United Plastics Public Ltd will continue to prioritise quality and reliability of its products and respect for consumers and society.”

Quality, reliability and excellent service

Lordos Plastics Ltd completes 62 years of creative presence this year.

It was established in 1960 in Famagusta by Photios Lordos and today, under the brand name Lordos United Public Ltd,  it constitutes a diversified group with activities beyond plastics production. It is a group that now operates with responsible entrepreneurship and sustainable development, following practices that focus mainly on the pillars of society and the environment, supporting and providing solutions to key social and environmental needs.

The Group is made up of the crown company Lordos Plastics Ltd, Lordos Flavors through which the Group has dynamically entered the food market, Lordos Hygiene that offers hygiene and personal protection solutions for households and industries and the well-known Lordos United Properties, managing a large portfolio of properties in Cyprus and abroad with investments in both residential and industrial plots.

Mr. Marios Constantoura, General Manager of the Group, spoke to us about past, present and future.  As he notes, what sets the Group apart from other companies are high-quality products, reliability,  a complete range of products and excellent service for the Group’s customers in Cyprus and abroad.

Timeless values

What it’s it like to head up an organisation that forms part of the country’s history?

Our organisation started the production of household plastic items in Famagusta from the early 1960s. The presence of senior executives today ensures the continuity of our work based on the values and principles handed down by the founders.

What is the history’s added value to present and future?

Know-how, experience, knowledge, access to suppliers of raw materials abroad, respect, and better purchasing conditions.

The Group’s DNA

What determined the DNA of the group?

High quality products, reliability, full range of products, excellent customer service, both in Cyprus and abroad.

What sets your company apart?

It is the industry leader with 220 employees and 2500 manufactured products, which stand out for their high quality, durability, and utility.

Why do you consider your company a leader in its industry?

Statistically, independent market research shows that we have the largest retail sales volume in most of our manufactured products, with the ideal selling prices.

Landmarks

What is the most important moment through this long journey?

There are two such defining moments, beyond the actual establishment of the company in 1960.

The first one is the attempt to reactivate the company in the early years following the 1974 tragic events and its reopening in Limassol.

The second is turning a family business to a public company in 2002, getting listed on the Cyprus Stock Exchange with thousands of small shareholders.

The German industrialist and an unforgettable story

A memorable story or incident?

Following the 1974 events, the founders of our company in Famagusta were forced into refugee life in Limassol. Then something amazing happened. As soon as the Larnaca airport became operational in late 1974, a private plane landed from Germany, with the owner of the engine manufacturing industry on board. He asked the help of airport police to get in touch with Photios Lordos.

Soon enough, the German industrialist asked Lordos to travel to Germany with him on the same day and order as many machines as he needed to restart his company again. He could pay whenever he could.

The respect for our founder, the prestige and credibility of our company internationally, were the elements that worked towards the rebirth of LORDOS PLASTICS. It remains that larget plastics industry in Cyprus.

Important future investments

Plastic use is being reduced. How is your company adapting to the new era, so it can stay around for the next 60 years?

LORDOS UNITED PUBLIC LTD heard the new market trend message loud and clear early on and after doing away with all single-use plastic items, it has recently invested more than 3 million euro in the recycling sector.

In 2022 it is on schedule to recycle 2,000 tons of clean plastic films in order to reproduce regenerated raw material.

From this raw material at a rate of 80%-90%, we produce the new series of bags ECOBAGS by Lordos, certified ” Blue Angel .’

‘Blue Angel’ is the first global certification for environmentally friendly products and services. Stamped ” Blue Angel » in Ecobags, we practically demonstrate environmental awareness and our dedication to protecting the environment and consumers.

We are authorized plastic recyclers in Cyprus for 4000 tons per year, and we hope to reach that amount by late 2023.

This amount will correspond to approximately half of the total amount we use annually. Our goal is to reach a 100% volume of recycling by 2025, applying the concept and rules of the circular economy.

Corporate responsibility – social sensitivity

How much importance does the organisation attach to corporate social responsibility?

Corporate social responsibility is an integral part of both our culture and strategy. With more than 60 years of contribution to socially sensitive corporate practices, focusing on giving back to society and protecting the environment, supporting and offering solutions to key social and environmental needs.

Such practices mainly concern:

• Participation in events of charitable interest.
• Corporate Volunteering.
• Strengthening local communities.
• Awareness and information campaigns.
• Energy-saving and recycling.
• Reducing the carbon footprint and using green materials.

New era, new activities

With more than 60 years of Cyprus market presence and supply, the company has expanded its areas of interest and created the “LORDOS UNITED GROUP”.

A group of companies was forged, with the aim of parallel development in other sectors of the industry, introducing quality products that will  serve the everyday life of the consumer.

The LORDOS UNITED PUBLIC LTD Group, today produces and distributes more than 2.500 products in Cyprus and has increased its presence in the retail sale of household goods by entering the food market.

The entry of “LORDOS FLAVOURS” into the highly competitive food market aims to upgrade the existing options through familiar and inspired flavors and products both from Cyprus and selected producers and companies abroad.

“LORDOS HYGIENE” was also created, offering hygiene and personal protection solutions to households and industries.

LORDOS UNITED PROPERTIES LTD is also a member of the Group, which has under its management a large portfolio of real estate in Cyprus and abroad, with investments in both residential and industrial plots, with exploitation of part of them in progress.

Timeless goal

Remain an innovative, state-of-the-art group of companies that:

• Turns raw materials into practical solutions for everyday problems
• Earns the trust and respect of the industry for expertise, integrity and quality of production

• Is able to define and implement processes that make the best use of available resources to produce quality products in a manner that respects the environment and ensures profitability.
• Creates value for its customers, employees and shareholders
• Actively contributes to the development and sustainability of the Cyprus economy.

The founder Photios Lordos

Photios Lordos was born in the Famagusta district community of Avgorou on 06/01/1925, to Dimitrios and Areti Lordou.

He began his education at Avgorou Elementary and went to Famagusta’s first municipal school. He studied for three years at the British Institute in Famagusta and then travelled to London, where he worked and attended a British evening school, learning the language and business.

In 1941 he returned to Cyprus and engaged in cloth trade, but then left again.

In 1948 he travelled to South Africa, where he spent a year opening a restaurant and then returned to Cyprus again to engage in cloth trading, while also establishing the Famagusta transport company.

In 1950, he was involved in the purchase and sale of estates and the division of plots of land, as well as opening a hotel in the Clapsides area of Famagusta.

On a trip to England in 1958, he stopped over in Paris, where he visited an exhibition on machinery for making plastic goods.

He was so excited by what he saw that following his return to Cyprus, he establishes LORDOS PLASTICS LTD.

In cooperation with Israeli specialists, they bought the first five machines for the manufacture of plastics and continued to expand until 1974. Following the Turkish invasion, he was forced to abandon Famagusta, resettled in Limassol and forging a partnership with his relatives, established UNITED PLASTICS (LORDOS) LTD.

He was one of the founding members of the “Commercial and Industrial Federation of Famagusta”, serving for 12 consecutive years. In Limassol, he was a member of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Board of Directors as Vice-President. He also served on the Board of Directors of Anorthosis from 1950 to 1966.

In 1946 he married Militsa Anastasiou and had three children: Dimitris, Tasos and Panayiota.