PACKAGING
I
SIXTY YEARS OF ‘MAKING IT WORK’: LESSONS IN OPERATIONAL RESILIENCE FROM KP
n an age where packaging is under more scrutiny than ever, whether for sustainability, safety, or supply chain impact, the operational side of the industry often becomes the unsung hero.
But it’s here, in the factories, on the lines, and
across supply networks, where real innovation takes shape. After sixty years in food packaging, at Klöckner Pentaplast (kp), we’ve learned that how you manufacture is just as important as production site in 1965, our business has grown to operate 30 manufacturing plants across 18 countries. Scale gives us reach, but it’s how we’ve built up and developed those operations engineered for performance and resilience.
RESILIENCE ISN’T JUST ABOUT SCALE - IT’S ABOUT STRUCTURE It was every global manufacturer’s worst nightmare. In 2020, worldwide disruption hit. Pandemics, raw material shortages and shipping delays created the perfect storm, and it quickly became clear which supply chains had real agility. For our team at KP, resilience wasn’t about reacting faster, it was about already being structured to adapt. Our global network of manufacturing sites meant we could shift production across sites without delay. Our local teams understood market nuances, from regional regulations to cultural expectations, while still drawing on the the wider business. That’s much more than a logistical advantage, it’s a trust builder. When
By Steffen Kast, Vice President, Operations at KP Food Packaging
our customers faced uncertainty, we could offer them certainty. A perfect example is our St Helens facility in the UK, which played a critical role in helping our foodservice customers transition after the ban.
Our ability to manufacture, adapt and deliver
locally, without waiting on overseas shipping routes, was a key differentiator.
OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE IS A MINDSET, NOT A MILESTONE Having 30 sites isn’t just a competitive edge, it’s a responsibility. Consistency across operations where safety, traceability and precision are paramount.
At KP, we apply harmonised manufacturing
protocols across all sites, supported by lean methodologies, digital monitoring and continuous improvement programmes. But more than compliance or yield, it’s about building a culture that’s wired for better. Better output, better energy use, better outcomes. Our Gold rating from EcoVadis for four
consecutive years, placing us in the top 1 per that our teams live and breathe quality, safety it’s cultural.
SUSTAINABILITY STARTS WITH HOW YOU BUILD THE PRODUCT It’s easy to talk about circular packaging in terms of design principles but implementing it in practice is a deeply operational challenge. How do you integrate recycled content without compromising food safety? How do you maintain seal integrity and shelf life while using thinner, This is where kp’s manufacturing agility shines. Our kp Elite trays made with up to foodservice packaging made from recyclable
12 JULY/AUGUST 2025 | FACTORY&HANDLINGSOLUTIONS
EPP, are just two examples of how sustainability goals are achieved through precise, technical manufacturing. And through KP Tray2Tray, consumer PET, we are doing it with traceability, process requires tight control over material streams, extrusion precision and constant validation. It’s not theoretical circularity, it’s
MANUFACTURING MATURITY MEANS MORE THAN MEETING THE STANDARD Accreditations like ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO build trust, demonstrate rigour and are rightly expected by customers across markets. But in our experience, true manufacturing maturity comes from what happens beyond the audit. It’s about how quickly you can adapt a line to run new material without disruption. How well your production teams understand a compliance proactively your engineers work with machine manufacturers to get more out of existing assets. It’s about the quality of your people, not just your paperwork. At kp, we’ve come to see that performance
a single best site, it’s about consistency across many. Thirty plants in 18 countries means thirty opportunities to either maintain standards or raise them. That takes shared processes, and it also takes shared mindsets, lean methodologies and data visibility. Accountability that travels with the product from one plant to another. After six decades, our biggest takeaway isn’t about what machine runs fastest, or what facility is most automated. It’s this: Operational excellence is cultural. It’s a discipline you build, protect and pass on.
Klockner Pentalpast
www.kpfilms.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54
