James Cropper plc, the specialist advanced materials and paper products manufacturer headquartered in Burneside, UK, has disclosed that Non-Executive Chair Mark Cropper purchased 40,000 ordinary shares on 11 November 2026 at £8.30 per share, totalling £332,000. The shares were acquired from another member of the existing Concert Party, meaning the collective Concert Party holding in the company remains unchanged at 37.4% of issued share capital. The transaction, reported under PDMR disclosure obligations, increases Mark Cropper's total personal interest to 25.5% of the company's share capital. Investors may be watching the transaction as a signal of continued family and insider commitment to the business.

Key Points

  • James Cropper plc (CRPR) — specialist advanced materials and paper products group
  • Non-Executive Chair Mark Cropper purchased 40,000 ordinary 25p shares from a fellow Concert Party member at £8.30 per share on 11 November 2026
  • Total transaction value: £332,000; Mark Cropper's total interest now stands at 2,438,837 shares, representing 25.5% of share capital
  • Investors should watch whether further intra-Concert Party transfers occur and any subsequent regulatory or strategic disclosures

Mark Cropper Raises Personal Stake to 25.5% Through £332,000 Intra-Concert Party Purchase

The announcement states that Mark Cropper, Non-Executive Chair of James Cropper plc, purchased 40,000 ordinary shares of 25 pence each from another member of the Concert Party on 11 November 2026, at a price of £8.30 per share. The total consideration for the transaction was £332,000. Following the purchase, Mark Cropper holds 1,879,266 shares beneficially, representing 19.7% of the company's share capital, and 559,571 shares on a non-beneficial basis, equating to 5.9%, giving a combined total interest of 2,438,837 shares, or 25.5% of issued share capital.

Concert Party Collective Holding Remains at 37.4% Following Internal Share Transfer

Because the transaction involved the transfer of shares between members of the same Concert Party rather than an open-market purchase, the Concert Party's collective interest in James Cropper plc is unchanged at 3,571,782 ordinary shares, representing 37.4% of the company's issued share capital. The Concert Party comprises Mark Cropper alongside members of the Cropper, Willink, and Acland families, who have been deemed to act in concert by the Takeover Panel, as detailed in the company's circular to shareholders dated 30 June 2015. This internal redistribution does not alter the overall family and associated group's controlling position within the shareholder register.

James Cropper's Advanced Materials and Paper Businesses Span Four Manufacturing Sites

James Cropper plc operates through two principal divisions: Advanced Materials, which develops nonwoven materials and electrochemical coatings for aerospace, clean energy, and defence sectors; and Paper & Packaging, which produces premium creative papers, bespoke moulded fibre packaging, and recycled-fibre products. The group, built on over 180 years of innovation, operates manufacturing sites in Burneside, Crewe, and Launceston in the UK, as well as Schenectady in the USA, serving a diverse international customer base with highly specialised technical and aesthetic solutions.

PDMR Notification Filed in Compliance with Market Abuse Regulation Article 19

The disclosure was made in accordance with Article 19(3) of the Market Abuse Regulation (No. 596/2014), which requires persons discharging managerial responsibilities to report transactions in the issuer's securities. The transaction was executed on the London Stock Exchange and is classified as an initial notification. James Cropper plc's nominated adviser and broker is Singer Capital Markets, with IFC Advisory serving as the company's financial PR adviser. The company's Legal Entity Identifier is 213800XM78VTDYGBRM93, and the financial instrument identification code for the ordinary shares is GB0002346053.