Milton Keynes company celebrates VE Day along with its own anniversary

PPSGB, which makes PPE protection for businesses, was also honouring its own wartime roots, tracing its heritage back 80 years to when it was founded as Plysu, the plastics company in nearby Woburn Sands.

To mark the occasion, staff gathered for a nostalgic 1945-themed party.

The celebration, held in one of PPSGB’s signature rapid deployment emergency shelters, featured classic wartime fare including corned beef sandwiches and scones with jam and clotted cream, all served to the sounds of Vera Lynn and Bing Crosby.

And, of course, there was the classic red, white and blue bunting in abundance.

Plysu was established by wartime engineers and technicians and even the name itself was a nod to the wartime code-name for the Ministry of Supply, underlining the company’s deep roots in the national effort during and after the war.

Over the decades, Plysu evolved through several iterations — from Plysu Protective Solutions to Professional Protective Solutions, and finally to today’s PPSGB, now based in Bletchley.

While the name has changed, the company’s commitment to technical excellence and innovation in protective equipment remains firmly grounded in its origins.

“This celebration wasn’t just about marking VE Day — it was about remembering where we came from,” said a PPSGB MD Pam Parker. “Our heritage is woven into the history of post-war British industry, and we’re proud to carry that legacy forward every day.”

For more on the history of Plysu, visit here.

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