What Eska does

Eska B.V. is a Netherlands-headquartered manufacturer of premium solid board materials, founded in 1879 and operating as a subsidiary of RDM Group. The company produces 3-layer laminated solid board from 100% recycled paper, with proprietary Lay Flat Stay Flat technology ensuring rigidity and dimensional stability for luxury packaging applications. Production is concentrated at mills in Sappemeer and Hoogezand (Netherlands), supplemented by RDM Ovaro in Italy (110,000 tonnes/year), giving combined annual capacity of approximately 250,000 tonnes. Eska runs a world-first gasification plant (since 2016) that converts production rejects into process energy, a near-closed water loop at 1.8 m³ per tonne, and a partnership with Paques Biomaterials to produce 1,500 tonnes/year of bio-based PHA biopolymers from process wastewater.

The company's product portfolio spans roughly 16 board variants including Eska board, Eska Colours, Eska Jeans (recycled denim fibres), Eska Black/Mono Black, Eska Brown, Eska Pure, Eska White/Duo/Mono White, Eska Display, Eska Puzzle, and the newer Grey Collection (Aqua, Slim, Soft, Grey). These serve four primary verticals: luxury packaging (fashion, beauty, wine & spirits — with reference customers including Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Armani, Dom Pérignon, Krug, Rémy Martin, The Balvenie), books, jigsaw puzzles & games, and stationery.

Eska monetises through B2B direct enterprise sales to luxury brand owners, design agencies, and packaging converters, supported by owned subsidiaries in England, Spain, Italy, Hong Kong, and the USA and a network of co-development partnerships with finishing specialists and box makers. Pricing is unit-based with custom quotes; products carry FSC, PEFC, ISO 9001/14001, EN-71 toy safety, and B Corp (109.6 score) certifications. The company maintains a strong event-driven go-to-market presence at Luxe Pack Monaco/New York, Packaging Première Milan, and Paris Packaging Week, and was founded as a railway-ticket board supplier in the 1940s before pivoting fully to recycled materials by 1970.

Name

Eska

Legal name

Eska B.V.

Website

https://eska.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1879

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Eska is a Netherlands-based, RDM Group-owned manufacturer of premium 100% recycled solid board serving luxury packaging (fashion, beauty, wine & spirits), books, puzzles, and stationery markets globally across 5 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Solid Board Manufacturing

NAICS

Paperboard Mills (322130), Paperboard Mills (32213), Paper Manufacturing (322)

SIC

Paperboard Mills (2631), Paper Mills (2621)

akta.pro primary industry

Recycled Paperboard & Containerboard (IMAMAKAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Paperboard Sheet & Roll Converting (Slitting/Sheeting/Rewinding) (IMAMAFAM), Paper & Paperboard Packaging Converting & Finishing (Die-Cutting, Gluing, Windowing, Coating) (IMALACAL), Solid Unbleached Sulfate (SUS) Paperboard Manufacturing (IMAMAFAG)

Keywords

• Solid board manufacturing
• Luxury packaging materials
• Recycled paper board
• Premium packaging manufacturer
• Rigid box board

Headquarters

HQ city

Sappemeer

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Solid Board Products: ESKA manufactures and sells solid board materials in various forms including brown, pure, colours, jeans, black, white, display, puzzle, and specialty boards. Products are sold to luxury packaging manufacturers, book publishers, puzzle makers, and stationery producers globally
2. Custom Packaging Solutions: Design and development services for bespoke luxury packaging solutions, working from initial brief through to finished product. Services include design, eco-conception, box maker selection, packaging development, pre-series and mock-ups, co-packing, and transport

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Eska manufactures premium solid board products from 100% recycled paper using proprietary 3-layer lamination and Lay Flat Stay Flat technology. The portfolio includes more than 16 board variants (brown, pure, colours, jeans, black, white, mono, display, puzzle, slim, soft, strong, aqua) serving luxury packaging, hardcover books, jigsaw puzzles, games, displays, and high-end stationery. Annual production capacity is 250,000 tonnes across mills in the Netherlands and Italy, with sales offices in five countries.

Product overview

ESKA is a manufacturer of premium solid board materials for luxury packaging, books, games, and stationery applications. The product portfolio centers around multiple solid board variants including Eska® board (3-layer laminated recycled board), Eska® colours (solid coloured boards in multiple hues), Eska® jeans (recycled denim board), Eska® black/mono black (deep black boards), Eska® brown, Eska® pure, Eska® white/duo white/mono white (white variants), Eska® display white/display duo white (display boards), Eska® puzzle (for jigsaw industry), and newer variants including Eska® Slim, Eska® Soft, Eska® Strong, and Eska® Aqua. All products feature 100% recycled materials, 'Lay Flat Stay Flat' technology, and B-Corp certified sustainability. The company operates under RDM Group and serves markets including luxury packaging (fashion, beauty, wine & spirits), jigsaw puzzles & games, books, and stationery.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Eska® board A 3-layer laminated solid board made of 100% recycled paper, providing perfect rigidity with Lay Flat Stay Flat technology for luxury packaging applications.
• Eska® colours A 3-layer solid coloured board with intense, bright colours for luxury packaging, inserts, displays, and high-end stationery. Available in red, pink, orange, taupe, green, blue, azur, and yellow.
• Eska® jeans Eco-responsible solid board made from recycled denim fibres, 100% biodegradable. Made from minimum 15% recycled jeans fibres with unique customizable combinations of colours and textures.
• Eska® black Deep black mass-coloured sustainable solid board for luxury packaging. Vibrant and intense extra black colour offers perfect rigidity and ideal canvas for intricate screen prints and refined hot stamping.
• Eska® brown Pure, ecological and strong solid board made from fully recycled paper. 100% recyclable with premium quality, exceptional agility and rigidity, featuring Lay Flat Stay Flat technology.
• Eska® pure 100% recycled, natural and premium solid board. Can be recycled up to 25 times without losing quality, shape or colour. Part of the ESKA PURE collection with B-Corp certification.
• Eska® mono black Black-lined board for luxury boxes. A black-lined grey-board on one side providing an elegant interior finish while maintaining structural integrity.
• Eska® white 100% recycled high quality solid board for luxury packaging, providing a bright and clean appearance while maintaining environmental sustainability.
• Eska® duo white Bright and inviting solid white board, part of the 3-layer solid coloured board range for luxury packaging applications.
• Eska® mono white White and environmentally friendly board, white-lined for luxury box interiors with consistent quality throughout.
• Eska® puzzle Solid board specifically designed for the jigsaw puzzle industry with perfect lamination and easy die-cut capabilities. The 3-layer technique reinforces rigidity, stability and durability, increasing runnability by 17%.
• Eska® display white 100% recycled display board that is reliable and versatile, serving as a sustainable alternative for plastic display applications.
• Eska® Slim Light, thin and remarkably strong ultra-thin single layer board without compromise on quality. Combines sleek strength with extreme elegance while using lesser material for sustainability.
• Eska® Soft Soft touch board made from 100% recycled paper with B-Corp certification and quality verification. Features an amazingly soft surface that oozes luxury while maintaining structural integrity.
• Eska® Strong Exceptionally robust and 100% circular solid board. Built to withstand tough transformations while maintaining full recyclability.
• Eska® Aqua Waterproof, resistant and sustainable board made from 100% recycled fibres. Remarkably water-resistant and fully sustainable, engineered to withstand water exposure while keeping its shape.

Named customers13 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, minor and core.

• BEMADflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2025Design agency collaboration for luxury packaging concepts. BEMAD creates innovative bespoke packaging designs, often using ESKA board as a creative foundation. Notable collaborations include the KIWARA BOX (African-inspired design with ESKA Pink) and A Night in Paris display with Roure Dorure. BEMAD reverses the typical creative process by starting with material inspiration.
• Roure DorureflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2025French artisan finishing specialist established in 1975, enhancing printworks with hot foil stamping, embossing/debossing, holograms, lamination, varnishing, cutting and finishing. As sister company to BEMAD and part of LPF Group, Roure Dorure brings European leadership in fine hot stamping and decorative finishes to ESKA packaging collaborations.
• Carmela BogmanminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2025Dutch designer who created the Puki Wuki door hanger collection using ESKA Colours board. The project demonstrates ESKA's versatility in consumer products beyond traditional packaging, featuring mass-coloured, fully sustainable board with lay flat stay flat technology for die-cutting precision.
• Paques BiomaterialscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2025World-first technology partnership to transform recycled process water from ESKA's Hoogezand plant into bio-based, biodegradable PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoate) biopolymers. The process recovers starch and organic matter from process water through fermentation, producing 1,500 tonnes of PHA per year. This revolutionary closed-loop innovation reduces dependency on fossil resources while pioneering cleaner production methods.
• GBGT BoxcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2025Swedish precision box manufacturer (Göteborgstryckeriet Box&Display) producing rigid boxes using ESKA board. Key collaborator on award-winning projects including The Lovely Atmosphere Box (Bedow design) featuring nested boxes representing Earth's atmospheric layers, and Uisce de Profundis whisky packaging. GBGT provides precision slicing and impeccable finishing for ESKA-based designs.
• BedowcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2025Stockholm-based design studio that created The Lovely Atmosphere Box - five nested boxes representing Earth's atmospheric layers. Bedow selected ESKA as the premium board for this innovative packaging concept due to its consistent quality, sturdiness, and sustainability credentials.
• PUSTERLA USflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2024Premium packaging specialist collaborating with ESKA on the award-winning Flower Box, featuring petal-inspired design with ESKA PURE and ESKA COLOURS boards. The collaboration combines Pusterla's craftsmanship with ESKA's sustainable materials for luxury packaging across wines, perfumes, fashion, jewellery, e-commerce, and retail sectors.
• RDM OvaroflagshipOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 1 May 2024Italian manufacturing facility (La Cartiera di Ovaro, established 1923) producing ESKA premium board as part of RDM Group. Facility produces 110,000 tonnes annually with new thermal power plant reducing CO2 emissions by 30%. RDM Ovaro celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2023 and represents ESKA's European manufacturing expansion.
• Cartonagem TrindadecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2024Portuguese packaging pioneer with 50 years of experience, collaborating with ESKA on modular box collections showcasing ESKA PURE materials. The partnership demonstrates ESKA board's capabilities in precision cutting, rounded edges, and various finishing options including embossing, debossing, and hot stamping.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• GBGT Box (Göteborgstryckeriet): Swedish precision box manufacturer producing rigid boxes with ESKA boards — comparable as a converter partner in the luxury packaging value chain serving similar end-customers.
• Pusterla: Italian premium packaging specialist (Pusterla US) co-developing boxes with ESKA boards for luxury wines, perfumes, and fashion — comparable as a downstream converter in the same luxury packaging ecosystem.

Broad incumbents

• Mondi: Mondi is a major European paper and packaging group with solid board and kraft paperboard capabilities for consumer packaging — competes broadly with Eska in converted paper products.
• Stora Enso: Stora Enso's Packaging Materials division produces consumer board, folding boxboard, and kraft paper for packaging applications including luxury and food, making it a broad incumbent with overlapping solid board capabilities.

Direct peers

• Fedrigoni: Italian specialty paper and board manufacturer serving luxury packaging, wine & spirits, and high-end printing — directly comparable to Eska in product positioning, geography, and customer profile.
• Holmen (Iggesund / Incada): Holmen produces solid paperboard (Incada, Holmen Board) for consumer packaging applications including luxury and food packaging, competing directly with Eska in solid board grades.
• Metsä Board (Iggesund): Metsä Board's Iggesund brand produces premium folding boxboard and solid bleached board for luxury packaging, cosmetics, and spirits — the most direct competitor to Eska's solid board portfolio in the same end-markets.

Emerging players

• ITC Limited (Paperboards): ITC's paperboards business produces virgin and recycled folding boxboard serving FMCG and luxury packaging — overlaps with Eska in solid board but with different geographic focus and scale.
• Cartonagem Trindade: Portuguese premium packaging converter using ESKA PURE boards in modular box collections — comparable as a regional luxury packaging specialist and existing ESKA collaborator.

Regional players

• Arkay Packaging: North American luxury rigid box manufacturer producing setup boxes for cosmetics, spirits, and fashion — comparable to Eska's downstream value chain but primarily serving the US market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/eska
• Facebookfacebook.com/Eska1879

Compliance9 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

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 Eska