Corrugated Packaging Overview - Q&A with Kate Hulley

Corrugated cardboard packaging is on the rise. With the war on plastic and businesses looking for more sustainable options for their packaging, we sit down with Kate Hulley, owner-manager of Belmont Packaging in the North of England, to hear about her experience of sustainable packaging.

How have you seen the packaging industry change in the last 10 years?

I think the industry is starting to move in the right direction and it’s not just about the war on plastics, it’s about corrugated cardboard manufacturers doing their bit for the environment too.

I think the changes are partly down to social and environmental responsibility, but it’s also because that’s what more businesses are demanding now and the industry has to react to their customers’ requirements. It’s great for the industry that things are moving towards a more sustainable approach that not only benefits the environment, but the customers can enjoy efficient pricing.

What does the future look like for the industry?

I think the key challenges coming up for the industry is bringing young talent into the manufacturing industry. Millennials play an important part in the UK workforce, and as a generation that was introduced to technology at a very young age, they have become natives to change and can really have a positive impact on the industry.

We’re also seeing rife competition for shelf space in retail environments so innovation will continue to fuel design teams as they move to produce smaller displays with the same attention-grabbing impact. This means we'll see increasing pressure on corrugated cardboard packaging manufacturers to produce more innovative shelf-ready and retail packaging. 

With the debate on single-use plastic continuing to grab headlines, what trends are you seeing in 2019?

We’re seeing more customers coming to us for corrugated packaging rather than the once popular plastic. This is creating innovation in the industry to avoid using plastics where possible, although I think there will always be a place for plastics in packaging.

We’re also seeing this innovation in point-of-sale displays as competition is fierce for shelf space and it is becoming increasingly hard for designers to come up with smaller packaging solutions with the same impact.

What are Belmont’s future plans?

We’ve just launched our brand new trade packaging website - we have been supporting other corrugated packaging manufacturers for many years now with a confidential service and its popularity has grown for when these companies are running at full capacity or require something a bit more ‘specialist’.

Thank you to Kate Hulley for taking time to sit down with us to discuss the packaging industry.

Visit the Belmont Packaging Trade website here.