MANOSPACK
VERTICAL ASCENT
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MANOSPACK
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Manospack
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PROFILE
Flexibility and highly focused customer service have seen Manospack grow to become one of the leading manufacturers and suppliers of folding cartons in Greece. “Together with the customer, we look at what is the most efficient and complete solution for their needs,” said CEO Thanasis Manos. Report from Colin Chinery.
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ith an agility to meet the most demanding requirements while offering high-scale production capabilities, Manospack has grown to become one of the leading manufacturers and suppliers of folding cartons in Greece. “Our flexibility means we can not only meet today’s demands but also anticipate tomorrows with complete product packaging and design solutions for the food and drink industry,” said CEO Thanasis Manos. Based in the north of the country near Thessaloniki, Manospack designs and manufactures high quality cartons at competitive prices. Cosmetics, clothing, and electronic industries are other end users. The business was founded in 1976, but it was nearly 30 years later in 2004 that the rapid expansion to today’s prominence began, said Mr Manos. It was a quantum leap powered by the continuous investment in technology and human resources – typically €1 million a year since 2015 – that is now a company trademark. A pivotal point was the completion of a €3 million vertical integration programme in 2017. This gave Manospack the total in-house capacity and capability to deliver the flexibility and a customer-centric focus that distinguishes it from its multinational rivals.
Complete solutions
“Customers are used to having big lead times, and we answer this by having high stocks of raw materials in bulk. It’s a buffer every customer needs, and this is the way we work.”
Exports grow Vertical integration has also been the key for the company’s increased presence in both the local and European markets, said Mr Manos. Exports currently account for a third of an €8.5 million turnover, with Belgium and the Netherlands the major markets, followed by Germany and the Balkan countries. Powering everything is an impressive and inclusive portfolio of applications and services. “We work with the customer so we can find solution he actually needs, with a range of finishing characteristics; innovative cartons that are essential for product differentiation,” stated Mr Manos.
“We are a true one stop shop,” detailed Mr Manos. “Nothing is outsourced, and together with the customer we look at what is the most efficient and complete solution for their needs.” Across the packaging industry, 2021 has seen rising raw material costs and massive availability issues. “At the same time, the market is growing, and we have the resources to meet this,” commented Mr Manos. And in a competitive domestic market where multinationals are its rivals, flexibility is the ace in Manospack’s hand. “The multinational companies are not very flexible, with different production facilities all around Europe. But with us, the customer can find everything under one roof, giving us a flexibility that is the direct result of vertical integration. “For example, given the market upheaval we are going through, it is very important that the company has all the production in its hands and can make everything easier and straightforward for the customer. Manospack
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MANOSPACK
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PROFILE
High quality five colour offset printing and advanced finishing techniques with inline acrylic varnish, UV, plastic film lamination, embossing and hot foil printing, are readily obtainable at Manospack. Cartons suitable for direct contact with frozen or non-frozen-food are sourced from around the world with special extrusions, polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate (a form of polyester) and aluminium.
Great offset printing With ovenable and microwaveable paper trays widely used by frozen meals and a lucrative fast-food market, Manospack delivers the advantages of this type of packaging with great offset printing results in three-ply clay coated cartons with custom made inside extrusions. Manospack also manufactures paper trays up to 75mm deep on substances such as virgin fibre board, recycled carton, and corrugated board, serving specific customer needs for crispy baking, seal ability, production efficiency, packaging functionality and promotion. Packaging for the beverage industry is crucial for promoting and differentiating among similar beverages and spirits.
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Manospack
“We provide our customers with various varnish coating combinations offering cost effective quality packaging,” asserted Mr Manos. “We offer a special window patching application, pick and place, that along with hot foil and embossing techniques, creates an eye catching and innovative carton.”
Visual appeal Mr Manos continued: “Visual appeal is a main factor in packaging. Customers spend on competitive designs which we develop for them with structures and shapes, while following the advertising company’s design instructions.” Display stands are an advertising and merchandising tool with a direct impact on product sales, and here Manospack provides market specific solutions to create and produce an innovative and attention-grabbing display. “We communicate and cooperate with our customers to provide them solutions and a combination of materials including carton board, corrugate board, PVC and corrugated plastic. “Our large size printing format and converting ability allows us to develop a cost effective and functional display carton, by
Sustainably – a top priority Sustainability, and carbon reduction, form an integral part of the Manospack strategy, improving operational performance and reducing potentially harmful emissions. Supplier locations are already short-distanced, with wood and paper sourced from forests with the highest environmental and social standards, and the company became only the second in Greece to be awarded FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certification. “Certification was a pioneering decision we took. We are able to provide customers with this certification when requested. Pricing is the same both for FSC and non-FSC, and that’s another advantage for the customer,” underlined Mr Manos. “Customers, and especially their buyers, such as Marks and Spencer for example, are becoming increasingly demanding on
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C buying packages that are FSC o s, an M s certified, and we are seeing si it being requested more and more. “Customers are also becoming more sensitive regarding the weight of waste, and more positive and receptive towards new packaging solutions that use less paper.” Waste elimination is a feature of the company’s €7 million investment programme scheduled to come online next year, that will see a 70% spend on new machinery and 30% on new manufacturing floor space. “Looking ahead this is set to double our turnover, with the same number of staff, and increase our market presence against multinational competition,” revealed Mr Manos. “And this will be achieved by what Manospack actually sells – flexibility and service. n Th an a
combining most of our advanced finishing techniques such as UV lacquer, hot foil printing or embossing.” Functionality, cost-effectiveness, compatibility of the packaging with the contemporary packaging methods and techniques, are all taken into account before Manospack provides a new packaging proposal, said Mr Manos. “Cartons must stand out on the shelf, but it is also very important for the product to be functional and stay as long as possible in a customer’s hands, so we continuously research and develop ways to develop cartons that have increased sustainability.”
Inside Food Manospack & Drink
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