Seeking packaging innovation inspiration? Affinity Packaging CEO Jerry Corcoran shares some advice

Seeking packaging innovation inspiration? Affinity Packaging CEO Jerry Corcoran shares some advice

If you’re heading to Packaging Innovations, it’s likely that you’re looking for some fresh inspiration, to see the latest innovations and consider the best next steps for your business.

Our customers have been switching up their offering in a number of exciting ways. Among them is Affinity Packaging.

Its business defining strategy has seen it invest in a mix of production technologies that deliver versatility and efficiency. Affinity Packaging has listened to the need for brands to introduce sustainable options and developed new ways of working with substrates to deliver fresh capabilities. It has formed partnerships designed to be mutually beneficial and support long term success.

An example of this approach is Affinity’s development of plastic free packaging applications. Working with Denmaur’s Delipac – a plastic free substrate that has Flustix accreditation which is much sought after by brands – it has developed a range of hot drink cups. Many hot drinks cups available today have a plastic liner to ensure there is no leakage of hot liquid. With Delipac the same level of integrity is maintained and the cup is fully recyclable.

Affinity is looking into other applications can be delivered using the same technology such as pods and trays.

Against this operational backdrop, Jerry Corcoran, Affinity Packaging’s CEO, shares these three pieces of advice:

“First, keep things simple. That’s what we try to do. Simple and focused. Don’t try to do too much. I think people quickly fail by taking too many things on and losing the focus.

“Second, I’ve found over the last 30 years, it’s all about sales. You’ve got to know the customer, you’ve got to get involved with the customer – it’s a sales orientated business, and that’s a big focus for us. You need to have a sales pipeline as inevitably, customers will, drop out of the bottom and you need to make sure that you’ve got customers coming in at the top as well.

“Last, but not least, things are never as good as you think, and things are as never bad as you think.”

Affinity Packaging was established in 1901 and has since created a unique production approach by combining innovative technology, strong customer collaboration, sustainability, and carefully selected partnerships.

The Lancashire printed folding carton manufacturer employs around 70 staff and has a turnover of over just under £9.5m. It continues to evolve its application portfolio in response to fast paced changed and demand for more responsible practices.

• Packaging Innovations is in Halls 6, 7 and 8 at the NEC in Birmingham from February 21-22. Further details here.

ENDS

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Compass Business Finance is an independent company specialising in the provision of industry, professions and renewables finance, focusing primarily on asset-based finance for the print, packaging and engineering sectors. Compass has seen year-on-year growth since it was established in 2005, by brothers, Mark and Jamie Nelson. David Bunker joined the company as a director in April 2019.

Working with a wide range of companies, Compass guides its clients through the financial decision-making landscape. The company is committed to providing a consistent service and complete peace of mind, through ongoing business relationships.

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