What Ecopal does

Ecopal (legal entity ECOPAL ETUDE CONDITIONNEMENT PALETTISATION) is a French industrial manufacturer founded in 1980 and headquartered in Laval, Mayenne. The company designs and produces custom returnable packaging solutions — boxes, pallets, containers, carts, hooks and hangers, wooden bracing, and patented vertical tall storage units — integrating multiple materials including steel/stainless steel, technical fabrics, PP honeycomb, foam, and wood. Production occurs at the Laval site (relocated there in 2018 from Saint-Berthevin) with additional textile capacity via a Tunisia sewing workshop established in 2020.

Ecopal operates as a B2B enterprise field-sales business selling bespoke engineered packaging directly to European prime contractors and industrial manufacturers. Named end customers include Renault in automotive, with additional exposure across aerospace, agrifood, pharmaceutical, electronics, and clothing sectors. Solutions are project-based, designed by an in-house engineering office, and manufactured to client specification, generating revenue primarily through one-time product sales supplemented by recurring renovation and re-use services on installed container fleets. The company holds ISO 9001 certification (since 1998), a patent on its Tall Storage Units, and a registered SIRET (31830165200034) in France.

Ownership is private, having transitioned in 2011 from founder François Girault to CEO Rodolphe Mallet alongside an investor group. The company employs 11-50 people, distributes entirely through direct sales (no resellers or channel partners), and has pursued an ESG positioning since 2023 via an 80%-solar-powered facility, a formal CSR initiative launched in 2024, and an ongoing CSR diagnostic in 2025 targeting 100% renewable site energy by 2030.

Name

Ecopal

Legal name

ECOPAL ETUDE CONDITIONNEMENT PALETTISATION

Website

https://ecopal.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ecopal is a French industrial manufacturer founded in 1980 that designs and produces custom returnable multi-material packaging solutions — boxes, containers, carts, hangers, and patented tall storage units — for European prime contractors across automotive, aerospace, pharmaceutical, agrifood, electronics, and clothing sectors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Packaging

NAICS

All Other Plastics Product Manufacturing (326199), Other Plastics Product Manufacturing (32619)

SIC

Miscellaneous Plastics Products (3080), Plastics Products, Nec (3089), Metal Shipping Barrels, Drums, Kegs & Pails (3412)

akta.pro primary industry

Flexible Plastic Packaging (Bags, Pouches, Sachets) Manufacturing (IMANAEAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Industrial & Heavy-Duty Flexible Packaging (Construction, Chemicals, Liners) (IMALABAJ), Reusable Packaging & Container Return Programs (On-site) (BPABALAJ)

Keywords

• Industrial packaging solutions
• Returnable packaging manufacturing
• Custom metal containers
• Multi-material packaging
• Industrial logistics packaging

Headquarters

HQ city

Laval

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Custom Industrial Packaging Sales: ECOPAL designs and manufactures bespoke returnable packaging solutions (boxes, containers, carts, hangers) for industrial clients. Solutions are custom-engineered per client specification and produced at the Laval manufacturing site. Revenue appears to be generated through one-time product sales with potential for repeat orders and re-use/renovation services.
2. Re-Use and Renovation Services: ECOPAL offers renovation services for existing metal containers, giving them a second life through 3D survey, modification, and repainting. This creates additional revenue from existing client assets.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Ecopal designs and manufactures custom multi-material returnable industrial packaging — including boxes, pallets, containers, carts, fabric inserts, hooks, hangers, wooden bracing, and patented vertical storage units — for European industrial prime contractors. The company operates an in-house design office (bureau d'études) and produces these solutions at its Laval, France facility, using combinations of metal (steel, stainless steel), plastic (PP honeycomb), textile (technical fabrics), foam, and wood. It also offers container renovation and re-use services to extend the life of existing packaging assets.

Product overview

Ecopal designs and manufactures innovative, multi-material returnable packaging solutions for industrial logistics flows. The product portfolio comprises seven core offerings: Boxes and pallets (custom PP honeycomb containers), Containers and carts (welded steel/stainless steel structures with powder coating), Packaging with fabric protection (technical fabric inserts for optimal surface protection), Re-Use solutions (renovation of existing containers for second life), Hooks and hangers (conveyor suspension systems), Tall storage units (patented vertical storage without forklifts), and Wooden bracing (protective dividers for boxes/pallets). All products are designed by the in-house engineering office and manufactured at Ecopal's Laval site, combining metal, textile, and plastic materials to optimize part protection, transport costs, and workstation ergonomics.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Boxes and pallets Application-specific boxes and pallets, customisable with fabric inserts, foam, or rigid bracing. Made from PP honeycomb or standard honeycomb panels, stackable, available in custom sizes, colours, and markings. Designed for industrial clients needing returnable packaging for production and logistics flows.
• Containers and carts Welded metal containers and carts primarily made from steel and stainless steel, with powder coating and surface treatment options including galvanising and rilsanisation. Ergonomically designed to prevent operator stooping. For industrial clients moving parts within and between production sites.
• Packaging with fabric protection Flexible fabric inserts made from technical fabrics that optimise part density and provide surface protection for parts during storage and dynamic transport phases. Different fabric options for granulated, coated, or high-tech parts.
• Re-Use solutions Container renovation and remodelling service that gives existing metal containers a second life through 3D surveys, structural modifications, shot peening, and paint booth finishing. Sold to existing Ecopal clients with metal container assets.
• Hooks and hangers Single- or multi-product hanger systems for overhead conveyor systems (shopstock), designed in metal/textile combinations to optimise volumetry and integrate parts into production conveyor flows. For industrial clients with overhead parts handling.
• Tall storage units Patented vertical storage systems enabling part storage at heights of 3–6 metres without forklift trucks. Features elevator systems connecting levels for autonomous operator use, with trays or recesses for parts. Sold to industrial clients needing space-efficient vertical storage.
• Wooden bracing Wooden dividers and bracing inserts for boxes and pallets, designed to protect and position parts within packaging during storage and transport. Sold to industrial clients as complements to boxes and pallets.

Quantifiable outcome

• 80% of site energy needs covered by solar power, targeting 100% by 2030
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Faurecia (FORVIA): Major global automotive supplier whose parts logistics and intraplant packaging operations serve the same automotive prime contractors as Ecopal. A broad incumbent rather than a pure packaging specialist, but a relevant comparable on customer-side supply chain.
• SSI Schaefer: Global intralogistics incumbent offering a broad portfolio of storage, warehousing, conveying, and packaging solutions. Much larger than Ecopal and operates across many segments, but serves the same industrial customer base with overlapping industrial-container capabilities.

Direct peers

• Schoeller Allibert: Dutch manufacturer specialising in returnable plastic packaging, load carriers, and bulk containers for industrial supply chains across automotive, retail, and agriculture. Directly comparable on the returnable/returnable-loop value proposition that is central to Ecopal's positioning.
• Cabka Group: German-headquartered manufacturer of plastic pallets, large containers, and load carriers serving industrial and pooling customers. Comparable product focus on plastic industrial containers and similar end markets in logistics and manufacturing.
• BITO-Lagertechnik: German manufacturer of storage, container, and packaging solutions (bins, pallets, shelving) for industrial customers. Overlaps with Ecopal on containers and pallets, with a similar B2B industrial customer orientation and European manufacturing footprint.
• Nefab: Swedish-headquartered engineered industrial packaging company serving global industrial customers with multi-material (engineered foam, plywood, corrugated) custom solutions. Directly comparable to Ecopal in business model, multi-material custom engineering, and European prime contractor customer base.
• Loadhog: UK-based manufacturer of returnable transit packaging (RTP) — pallets, bulk containers, and pallet boxes — for industrial supply chains. Comparable returnable-packaging concept and B2B industrial customer focus, though with a UK-centric footprint.
• Boxon: Swedish industrial packaging company offering customised packaging solutions and reusable systems. Comparable custom-engineering approach and Northern European industrial customer base, with overlap on returnable packaging solutions.
• ZARGES: German manufacturer of industrial packaging containers, cases, and trolleys using aluminium and plastic composites for demanding industrial and aerospace customers. Closely matches Ecopal's metal-container-plus-mixed-material product mix and European B2B customer profile.

Others

• BEUMER Group: Global intralogistics company providing conveying, loading, palletising, and packaging systems for industrial customers. Adjacent infrastructure provider to packaging lines rather than a direct competitor, but shares the same prime contractor customer ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sas-ecopal

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 Ecopal