Stephen Gould

What Stephen Gould does

Stephen Gould, founded in 1939 and headquartered in Madison, New Jersey, is the largest independent custom product and packaging solutions provider in the United States. The company operates 40+ locations across six countries (US, China, Mexico, Ireland, Malaysia, and Brazil) with over 1.5 million square feet of warehousing and logistics capacity, including a 150,000+ sq ft production and warehouse facility in Indianapolis. It serves enterprise customers across seven verticals: food and beverage, cosmetics and beauty, medical devices, cannabis, electronics and technology, retail and e-commerce, and luxury goods. Notable enterprise clients include Costco, Sam's Club, eBay, GoPro, Puma, Formula 1, Ventev/Tessco, Osmo, and Tatsu Tea.

The company operates as a single integrated platform with six core capabilities: Retail and Industrial Packaging (corrugated, paper, plastics, foam, metal, glass, textiles, wood, and sustainable alternatives including molded pulp, hemp, and sugarcane); Product Marketing (print, point-of-purchase, promotional items); Design Services (structural design, graphic design, prototyping); Manufacturing and Production Management (global turnkey production); Fulfillment Services (kitting, assembly, pick/pack/ship, ecommerce); and Inventory Management (warehousing, MRO, freight, reverse logistics). Specialized offerings include Cold Chain Packaging (72-hour thermal protection for pharma/food), Supply Chain Risk Assessment, Reverse Logistics, MRO Inventory Planning, Kitting, and Formulation and Filling Services for beauty brands. Differentiated technology includes the SleeveLock closure system (exclusively licensed in the US from Swedish partner Meadow), integrated warehouse management systems, and a multi-country manufacturing network. The company holds ISO 9001 certification (renewed 2024) and operates under Mexico's IMMEX Maquiladora program.

Revenue derives from four streams: professional services (design and consulting), project-based fees (one-time custom development), managed services (ongoing fulfillment and supply chain), and licensing and royalties (SleeveLock). Pricing is quote-based and project-specific with multi-year contracts. Go-to-market is sales-led, combining enterprise field sales targeting major brands across multiple verticals with inside sales for mid-market accounts. The company is privately held with no disclosed institutional investors, led by CEO Justin Golden and Chairman Michael Golden (a family-business dynasty recognized by Family Business Magazine in 2022), with CHRO Dahna Baisley and EVP Kim Ings rounding out the executive team. Strategic partnerships include Meadow (Sweden, SleeveLock licensing), Ball Corporation (aluminum containers), and DRT Holdings (easy-open end components), with Alba 1913 in advanced partnership discussions for luxury hospitality.

Name

Stephen Gould

Legal name

Stephen Gould

Website

https://stephengould.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1939

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Stephen Gould is the largest independent custom product and packaging solutions provider in the US, offering integrated design, manufacturing, fulfillment, and supply chain services across 40+ locations in six countries, serving enterprise brands in food and beverage, cosmetics, electronics, retail, and luxury sectors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Custom Packaging and Supply Chain Solutions

NAICS

Plastics Product Manufacturing (3261), Graphic Design Services (54143), Printing and Related Support Activities (3231)

SIC

Plastics Products, Nec (3089), Miscellaneous Plastics Products (3080)

akta.pro primary industry

Custom & Specialty Rigid Plastic Packaging (Decorated, Premium, Unique Shapes) (IMALAAAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Plastic Caps, Closures & Dispensing Systems Manufacturing (IMANAEAB), Conveying, Feeding & Material Handling for Packaging Lines (IMALAOAG)

Keywords

• Custom packaging solutions
• Product design services
• Manufacturing coordination
• Supply chain management
• Fulfillment services

Headquarters

HQ city

Whippany

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices13 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Professional Services: Design, consulting, and product development services for packaging and product solutions
2. Project-Based Fees: One-time fees for custom product and packaging development projects
3. Managed Services: Ongoing fulfillment, inventory management, and supply chain services for major accounts
4. Licensing and Royalties: Revenue from proprietary packaging technologies including SleeveLock system licensing arrangements

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Stephen Gould designs, sources, and manages custom product and packaging solutions for enterprise brands, integrating structural and graphic design, global manufacturing coordination, kitting and assembly, warehousing, and distribution. The company operates as a single end-to-end platform spanning materials (corrugated, paper, plastics, foam, metal, glass, textiles, wood, and sustainable alternatives), branded marketing collateral, fulfillment, and inventory management across 40+ facilities in six countries.

Product overview

Stephen Gould is a packaging and supply chain solutions provider operating as a single unified service platform rather than a modular product architecture. The company's core offerings encompass six integrated capabilities: Retail & Industrial Packaging (materials including corrugated, plastics, foam, metal, glass, textiles, and sustainable alternatives like molded pulp and hemp), Product Marketing, Design Services, Manufacturing & Production Management, Fulfillment Services, and Inventory Management. These services are supported by specialized offerings including Cold Chain Packaging Solutions for temperature-sensitive products, Supply Chain Risk Assessment consulting, Reverse Logistics management, MRO Inventory Planning, Kitting Services, and Formulation & Filling Services for beauty and wellness brands. The company operates with over 1.5 million square feet of global warehousing and logistics facilities across 40+ locations in six countries, serving diverse industries including food and beverage, cosmetics, electronics, medical devices, cannabis, and luxury goods.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Retail & Industrial Packaging Comprehensive packaging solutions across multiple material types and sustainable alternatives, designed for enterprise brands needing differentiated primary, secondary, and industrial packaging at scale.
• Product Marketing Marketing services that establish brand presence across channels through print materials, point-of-purchase displays, and promotional items for consumer brands.
• Design Services Structural and graphic design services including product development, brand differentiation design, and rapid prototyping to optimize functionality.
• Manufacturing & Production Management End-to-end supply chain configuration and optimization using a global network of manufacturing partners to deliver customized turnkey manufacturing processes for clients.
• Fulfillment Services Tailored fulfillment services including kitting, light assembly, pick/pack/ship operations, ecommerce order processing, and distribution management for enterprise brands.
• Inventory Management Global warehousing and logistics services backed by over 1.5 million square feet of facilities, including MRO inventory planning, material sourcing, freight management, and reverse logistics.
• Cold Chain Packaging Solutions Insulated containers and mailers for temperature-sensitive shipping, providing up to 72 hours of thermal protection for refrigerated, controlled room temperature, and frozen products, with recyclable options available.
• Supply Chain Risk Assessment Assessment services that identify internal and external supply chain risks and implement systems to manage risk, assure quality, and ensure products are delivered as promised.
• Reverse Logistics Turnkey process managing returns and exchanges including ecommerce store integration, inventory management, quality inspection, return merchandise authorization, and freight management.
• MRO Inventory Planning Maintenance, Repair, and Operations inventory planning services including consignment, customer inventory counts and audits, procurement resource planning, and trusted supplier analysis.
• Kitting Services Warehouse kitting services bundling related SKUs into ready-to-ship kits, improving inventory management, reducing labor costs, and streamlining the shipping process.
• Formulation & Filling Services Full-range services for liquid product development including formulation, third-party testing, regulatory compliance, and packaging solutions targeted at beauty and wellness brands.

Named customers10 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• MeadowcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerSwedish packaging company with licensing agreement in the US for the SleeveLock system. This proprietary packaging closure technology is a key differentiator for Stephen Gould's product offerings.
• Ball CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerManufacturing partner for aluminum containers. Ball Corporation is a leading manufacturer of aluminum packaging for beverages, food, and household products.
• DRT HoldingsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupplier of easy-open end system parts for packaging solutions. Provides specialized components for can and container manufacturing.
• Alba 1913minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerItalian hotel amenity supplier in advanced partnership discussions. Potential collaboration for luxury hospitality packaging and amenity solutions.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• IPL Plastics: Specialty plastics packaging manufacturer serving food, consumer, and healthcare markets with rigid and flexible plastic solutions. Comparable as a custom rigid plastic packaging provider with multi-region manufacturing.

Direct peers

• TricorBraun: One of the largest packaging distributors in North America, providing rigid packaging solutions across plastics, glass, and metal. Closely comparable as a packaging solutions provider serving CPG and industrial customers with design-to-delivery capabilities.
• Pregis: Protective and specialty packaging manufacturer and distributor offering engineered packaging solutions, fulfillment services, and supply chain support. Comparable on the packaging plus supply-chain-services model targeting similar enterprise customers.
• Berlin Packaging: Largest US rigid packaging supplier offering hybrid packaging products and services across multiple materials and end-markets. Direct competitor to Stephen Gould in custom packaging solutions for food, beverage, personal care, and industrial customers.

Broad incumbents

• Pactiv Evergreen: Major North American manufacturer of food and beverage packaging, including foam, paperboard, and plastic containers. Comparable in providing packaging materials plus supply-chain services to large consumer brands.
• Sonoco Products: Diversified global packaging manufacturer serving consumer, industrial, healthcare, and protective packaging markets. Comparable as a broad-based packaging provider with both manufacturing and services offerings.
• Smurfit Westrock: Global paper-based and consumer packaging leader formed through the merger of Smurfit Kappa and WestRock. Comparable on corrugated/paperboard packaging distribution and integrated supply chain services for large brands.
• Sealed Air: Global incumbent in protective packaging, food packaging, and automated packaging systems with a much larger product portfolio. Overlaps with Stephen Gould in protective packaging materials and supply-chain optimization for large enterprises.
• Ball Corporation: Global leader in aluminum packaging for beverages, food, and household products. Relevant as a strategic manufacturing partner of Stephen Gould and an incumbent whose customers overlap in beverage and personal care packaging.
• Packaging Corporation of America: Major US producer of containerboard and corrugated packaging products with significant scale advantages. Adjacent competitor in paper-based packaging distribution and conversion for large retail and e-commerce accounts.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/stephengouldmi

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Stephen Gould