ePac Flexible Packaging Sets Strategy for Continued Double-Digit Growth
2024年6月2日 - 3:00PM
ePac Flexible Packaging, founded in 2016 as the world's first
all-digital flexible packaging company, just turned 8 years old in
May of this year. So it’s fair to ask: How is ePac doing with its
disruptive business model? From 2016 through 2022 ePac consistently
grew 50 -100% per year. In 2023 ePac’s growth slowed, but units
produced still increased 30% over 2022 as new customer acquisition
remained strong. Today, ePac is an international company with
~$200M in sales.
In 2023, and still in 2024, the flexible packaging industry came
under significant financial pressure caused by a myriad of factors
including inflation, higher interest rates, supply chain issues,
emergence from COVID 19, and the availability of capital. The
industry, in general, saw top line sales decline and underlying
costs increase. ePac responded with a reassessment of its strategy,
and took several key steps to mitigate what was/is happening
industry-wide.
Since its beginning ePac has been focused on using technology to
drive productivity and customer experience. ePac’s Software and
Services group developed unique solutions for the company's ERP and
CRM systems, on-line quoting, automated job routing,
data-mining, pre-press automation, and advanced digital
printing. It’s these advancements in technology that have
positioned ePac to further simplify its operations and prepare for
its next wave of growth.
The first strategic decision made by ePac was to consolidate its
US operations into 11 manufacturing plants, down from 15. In
addition to its US operations, ePac footprint now includes 3 plants
in Canada, and 8 locations in Europe, Asia/Pacific, and Africa.
ePac’s US footprint now includes sites in Boston, Philadelphia,
Atlanta, Miami, Austin, Cleveland, Chicago, Madison, Boulder, Los
Angeles, and Portland. Consolidation, made possible by the
company’s digital infrastructure, is now complete.
The second decision was to continue to invest and focus on the
development of ePac’s technology foundation. The company is in the
process of upgrading its digital printer fleet which today stands
at 58 to the new HP Indigo Gen 5 200k. This technology upgrade
alone will increase productivity by up to 45%. Over the course of
next 24 months all of ePac’s fleet of HP Indigo presses will be
upgraded to the new technology.
At the center of ePac’s technology platform is ePacONE, a
proprietary tool that connects all of ePac’s 58 digital presses and
enables automated job routing and management for all 22 ePac
locations. In essence, ePacONE is a conductor orchestrating job
flow among all assets, as one virtual package printing
platform.
The third strategic decision made was to add new capabilities to
ePac’s portfolio of products. A recent example of this is the
addition of a new flat-bottom pouch machine from Totani that
expands ePac’s offerings in the coffee, sports nutrition, and pet
food markets.
According to Virag Patel, ePac’s CEO: “In our first 8 years we
were able to create a new market for small and medium sized brands,
and build a technology foundation that enabled us to rapidly scale
our operations, so our infrastructure is sound. We’ll serve 4,500
to 5,000 customers this year, and with that kind of volume workflow
automation is critical to meeting our SLA’s. Our commitment to
technology will position ePac for the next phase of growth and
serve larger, more complex customers - serving brands of all
sizes.”
About ePac:
ePac is the world's largest networked flexible
packaging provider, serving brands of all sizes across the globe.
Founded in 2016, ePac began with a single plant in Madison,
Wisconsin serving predominantly community-based small and medium
sized brands. Today, through its proprietary technology platform -
ePacONE (One Network Everywhere), ePac provides brands of all sizes
the ability to produce any size order in any of its 22 facilities
across the globe. ePac offers a full complement of sustainable
film options, while its print technology platform is carbon-neutral
and inherently eco-friendly. Further, the company offers true order
to demand capability, helping brands reduce inventory and
obsolescence.For more information about ePac Flexible Packaging and
its services, please visit:
https://www.epacflexibles.com.
- ePac Flexible Packaging Sets Strategy for Continued
Double-Digit Growth
Jeff Jacobs
ePac Flexible Packaging
512-573-0569
jjacobs@epacflexibles.com