Tag: Parkside Flexibles

  • Parkside Appoints New Business Manager

    Parkside Appoints New Business Manager

    Ian Dewar

    Parkside Flexibles has appointed Ian Dewar as business unit manager for its Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, operation.

    Dewar’s substantial knowledge of materials, additives and coating formulations will provide Parkside customers with the expertise to develop packaging that balances plastic reduction with barrier performance, all while complying with relevant legislation.

    “We are delighted to welcome Ian to our growing team in the region. This is an exciting time for our business as we strive to meet the evolving needs of APAC [Asia-Pacific] customers and consumers, and we expect Ian, with the extensive experience he has gathered throughout his career, will play a big part in that aim,” said Paula Birch, managing director of Parkside Asia.

    “2022 has been a big year for flexible packaging in the region following key carbon commitments from the Chinese government, the Indian government’s single-use plastic ban, and many more legislative changes. Ian’s experience puts Parkside in the strongest position for APAC customers seeking to improve their sustainable packaging portfolio with high-performance flexible packaging solutions.”

    “There are many challenges to overcome and opportunities to make the most of in the APAC region, and I’m ready to roll my sleeves up and deliver for our customers in 2023,” said Dewar.

    With sites in the U.K. and Malaysia, Parkside employs almost 200 staff worldwide.

  • Parkside Boosts Malaysian Operations

    Parkside Boosts Malaysian Operations

    Paula Birch (Photo: Parkside)

    Specialist packaging solutions provider Parkside has announced it has placed significant investment in the latest flexible packaging production technology at its Malaysian headquarters.

    Demand for hygienic, safe and convenient packaging is growing in the region, and as a result, Parkside has been investing in its production of high barrier and sustainable flexible packaging solutions at the facility. With a 10-color print press, three coater/laminators, three slitting lines and flexo plate making facilitates alongside a new business development strategy, the company is now targeting more categories within the Asia-Pacific food and drink sector.

    “After the challenges of 2020, it’s clear that the way we manufacture, process and supply products has been changed for good,” said Global Sales Director Paula Birch, who was recently appointed general manager of Parkside Asia. “As consumer behavior and demands have evolved in the region, the supply chain has adapted. How closely brands can reflect the needs of shoppers—and how effectively they can use this to shape their operations—is set to prove a real differentiator as they adapt their strategies, and we are here to help!

    “We have a fantastic best-in-class facility in Kuala Lumpur able to produce a wide range of flexible packaging solutions from lidding films and bags through to next-generation compostable and recyclable sustainable pack designs. 

    “We are widely known in Asia for our tobacco products, but we are so much more than that. We have the perfect product portfolio to address these emerging consumer trends, and it is vital moving forward [that] we ensure brands are aware of our capabilities.”

  • Flexible Solutions

    Flexible Solutions

    Photos: Parkside Flexibles

    The prospects for tobacco packaging remain bright despite stagnating cigarette sales.

    By George Gay

    A recent Fortune Business Insights report predicted that the turnover of the global tobacco and nicotine packaging business would grow from the $16.15 billion of 2019 to $20.45 billion by 2027. This seems like a healthy increase given what we are often led to believe is the declining state of the business, at least the overwhelmingly dominant part of it that is made up of sales of traditional cigarettes.

    Given this, Tobacco Reporter asked Paula Birch, global sales director of Parkside Flexibles, whether she believed the sector of the tobacco and nicotine packaging business that Parkside operated in would grow to this extent, and she kicked off her emailed reply by providing some context to the growth figures.

    As was mentioned by Fortune Business Insights, the value of the tobacco packaging market was predicted to grow by about 27 percent during the next six years, she said. Additionally, research by British American Tobacco had found that more than 19 percent of the world’s population comprised smokers who consumed more than 5.3 trillion cigarettes annually across a global cigarette market worth about $700 billion, a figure that rose to $814 billion annually when other tobacco and nicotine products were included. It was also the case, though, that cigarette sales had fallen by 17 percent since 2010, so the high and increasing figures for the value of sales had been down to retail prices, which, at the same time, had increased by 91 percent, according to figures by the U.K. Office for National Statistics.

    Keen to serve increasingly environmentally conscious consumers, Parkside Flexibles has developed products such as recycled content inner liners.

    “As prices have risen, consumers have increasingly demanded value for money and greater premiumization to ensure they are getting what they pay for,” said Birch. “The key to achieving these two aspects is via enhanced barrier performance, which provides improved tobacco quality, freshness and extended shelf life, all of which can be achieved with flexible packaging. By using flexible solutions for inner liners, pack wraps and pouches, brands can provide consumers with the superior quality they are seeking.

    “As a result, we are now seeing the emergence of flexible packaging as the solution of choice for tobacco brands in Eastern and Western markets due to its greater ability to protect, preserve and present throughout the supply chain from manufacture to supermarket shelf. For tobacco brands, flexible packaging offers greater flexibility and cost-effectiveness in production when compared to other popular solutions, such as cardboard. At Parkside, we develop flexible packaging solutions that offer superb barrier performance to prevent product deterioration and aroma transmission and inhibit the growth of bacteria within the pack, thus ensuring premium freshness and quality of tobacco products.

    “The benefits of flexible packaging for the consumer and brand mean we feel confident that over the next decade, this packaging format for tobacco will grow at a similar double-digit rate in line with the overall tobacco packaging market.”

    As prices have risen, consumers have increasingly demanded value for money.

    JPaula Birch, global sales director, Parkside Flexibles

    Growing populations and hectic lifestyles

    One question that arises out of this is whether the growth in tobacco and nicotine packaging turnover will be driven mainly by demand in particular countries and regions or be a worldwide trend. Consumption patterns, at least up until the Covid-19 pandemic struck, would seem to suggest that growth would have to be fueled by developing countries, but is there more to it than volume consumption?

    The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated that between 2005 and 2015, the percentage of adults smoking fell worldwide, said Birch. Despite this, the global tobacco packaging market continued to grow because, while the overall percentage of people smoking had reduced, global populations continued to rise, resulting in higher numbers of people consuming the product. And, as mentioned previously, packaging company turnover was increasing as a result of their meeting the rise in consumer expectations about product quality.

    “The modern-day lifestyle in many countries—with increased workloads, hectic schedules and, indeed, the Covid-19 pandemic—has led to a significant increase in tobacco consumption among professionals and those with stressful professions,” said Birch. “We expect to see the Asia-Pacific region experience the fastest growth in tobacco packaging turnover due to this combination of population growth and working lifestyle. We also anticipate continued growth across Europe and the U.S. for the same reasons.

    “Interestingly, growth in the flexible packaging format does not rely solely on consumption patterns. Due to the versatility of the format across pack wraps, inner liners and pouches to name a few, the substitution of metal, card and paperboard continues to drive market growth.”

    Platform for promotion

    Even with standardized tobacco packaging being introduced in many countries, the authors of the Insights report seem to believe there is still a part that packaging can play in product promotion. So Tobacco Reporter asked whether Birch believed this to be the case.

    “Absolutely,” she said. “Although brands must adhere to strict packaging guidelines in terms of packaging standardization in many countries, there are still significant opportunities to utilize the right packaging to promote a particular product. These restrictions can be challenging when competing with lower-risk products like vapes that are not constrained by packaging design laws as stringent as those for standard tobacco packaging.

    “It is vital in the modern market space that brands market and communicate their products through unique and innovative promotional methods. In particular, the opening and reclosing feature can be differentiated, the use of tactile or premium finishes on the inside of the pack, and integration of novel communications and graphics within the pack can all be leveraged. Tactile packaging and intricate design work like embossing can help to convey a premium quality. This is often seen in the premium spirits market, where bottles are placed in intricately designed boxes to create a sense of luxury, generating a consumer sensory experience beyond the purely visual.

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    “Sustainability is also a feature that consumers consider when making their purchases, so brands can use this to stand out from the crowd. Laminate structures of compostable films can be used to produce the pouches widely used by the roll-your-own tobacco consumer, and they comprise a viable, environmentally friendly alternative to other materials. At Parkside, we have created fully accredited flexible packaging pouches that compost both at home and in industrial composting environments. Accredited to EN13432 and Vincotte OK Home Compost regulations, the compostable OTP pouch enables brands to demonstrate their sustainability commitment.”

    Finally, Tobacco Reporter asked Birch the question that, currently, no interview can leave out: How has the Covid-19 pandemic affected Parkside’s business?

    “The last year has been extremely challenging for all businesses,” she said. “Demand has been volatile, and there have been various supply chain challenges, which we have successfully navigated.

    “At Parkside, our primary focus is on the health, safety and well-being of our employees and their families as well as our customers, suppliers and the communities we operate in. We implemented a range of measures in line with current U.K. government and NHS [National Health Service] guidelines to minimize the spread of the virus and ensure that productivity didn’t come at the expense of staff safety.

    “Importantly, we have continued to successfully work with tobacco brands around the world and implemented a range of supply chain protocols, which have enabled us to operate at full capacity throughout the pandemic. We have excellent supply and stock management systems in place, and we are continuing to meet the increased demand from our customers across all markets.”

    George Gay is Tobacco Reporter’s European editor, but his territory spans the globe. Based in London, George has covered the tobacco industry since 1982, initially for a U.K.-based publication and since 2004 for Tobacco Reporter. George’s understanding of industry issues, combined with his keen sense of observation and dry wit, have earned him a loyal following among Tobacco Reporter’s readers.

  • New managing director at Parkside

    Parkside Flexibles (Europe) has appointed Nick Smith as its managing director, effective April 1.

    Smith succeeds CEO Lawrence Dall, who died in September last year.

    Prior to joining Park Flexibles, Smith worked at Sun Chemicals, where he held several positions, including that of managing director of the firm’s U.K.-Nordic division.

    Smith holds a degree in economics from Loughborough University and an MBA from Cranfield University’s School of Management.

     

  • Parkside CEO passes away

    Lawrence Dall, chairman CEO of Parkside Flexibles, died Sept. 18 after battling with cancer.

    Dall joined Parkside in 2007 and brought about considerable change to the business.

    “His passion and dedication was uncompromising,” Parkside wrote in press note. “With his outgoing personality and larger-than-life character he was well known and respected in the industry and will be sadly missed by his friends and colleagues.”

    Parkside is a flexographic printer and specialized laminating company that has been supplying high-quality, tailor-made packaging solutions to the tobacco industry for more than 40 years.

     

  • Parkside installs laser technology

    Parkside Flexibles, a manufacturer of printed flexible packaging, has installed new laser technology at its Normanton, U.K., facility.

    The laser unit is a versatile contour unit and is capable of laser scribing and cutting a wide range of materials to a specified depth and shape. The scribe produces an easy-opening system on packaging and creates resealable packs when used in conjunction with a pressure-sensitive adhesive/zipper.

    This state-of-the-art equipment is the first of its kind in the United Kingdom and has been located in a purpose-built, positive-pressurized unit within Parkside’s existing facility.

    The investment in this new machinery adds to the company’s existing capabilities and expertise in high-quality flexographic print, multilayer laminations (including unsupported aluminum foil), coatings and label systems.

     

  • Parkside secure waste system guards against illicit trade

    Keen to improve its environmental credentials, Parkside Flexibles has invested in a secure waste management system. The investment will also help protect tobacco customers’ businesses from illicit trade by ensuring any sensitive waste generated is destroyed on site.

    Roydon Group has installed and commissioned a shredding and compacting system at Parkside Flexibles Normanton, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom. As a result, all materials leave the company’s premises in a format that offers Parkside Flexible and its clients full security for all printed products.

    The system is designed to handle the two types of material produced by Parkside—laminated plastic specifications and paper products. Once processed, both products are either sent for recycling or to a waste-to-energy plant to be used as a fuel in the production of renewable energy.

    The system ensures that all waste is destroyed, with the residual products being either recycled or burnt for energy, providing a totally secure zero-to-landfill system.