What Cepac does

Cepac Limited is a privately held UK corrugated packaging manufacturer founded in 1999 and headquartered in Rotherham, operating four specialised plants across the North of England: Rotherham (head office and engineering), Darlington (multi-print flexo/litho/digital), Doncaster (point-of-sale and digital print), and Rawcliffe (heavy-duty, multi-point-glued and UN-certified packaging, acquired 2013). The company produces custom corrugated boxes, trays, display units, and specialty packaging — including the Performance Packaging, Flutepac (sustainable food trays), CorSoft (cushioned), Chiller Pack (IP-registered, temperature-maintaining), and Arcwise (curved, licensed from SCA) product lines — using flexographic, litho, screen, and single-pass digital print technology (HP Scitex 17000, EFI Nozomi C18000).

Cepac serves enterprise and mid-market customers in food and beverage (Nestlé, Iceland Foods, PepsiCo/Walkers, Campo Viejo), consumer goods, industrial and automotive (Jaguar Land Rover, Ford, Ideal Boilers), e-commerce, and POS/display, with a small craft/SMB tail. Its commercial model is B2B direct sales through site-based account teams and external field representatives, with quote-based pricing, multi-year contracts, and custom structural design integrated into each engagement. The company's go-to-market emphasises collaborative design, on-site customer engagement, and rapid-turn digital printing via the Cepac Digital and Cepac Express sub-brands.

Cepac monetises hardware sales of bespoke packaging and holds an extensive certification stack (BRCGS AA+ at multiple sites, ISO 45001, FSC chain of custody as the first UK plant, UN accreditation, ISO 9001/14001 referenced) that underwrites eligibility for regulated FMCG supply. Revenue is generated from direct manufacturing and sale of corrugated packaging solutions, with no disclosed distributor, licensing, or subscription revenue streams. The business is founder/management-owned, with no public listing and no disclosed private equity or institutional investor backing.

Name

Cepac

Legal name

Cepac Limited

Website

https://cepac.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Cepac is a UK-based independent corrugated packaging manufacturer operating four specialised plants (Rotherham, Darlington, Doncaster, Rawcliffe), serving food and beverage, consumer goods, industrial, automotive, and POS/display customers — including Nestlé, Iceland, PepsiCo, and Jaguar Land Rover — with custom, multi-technology printed packaging and award-winning specialty products.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Corrugated Packaging

NAICS

Paperboard Container Manufacturing (32221)

SIC

Paperboard Containers & Boxes (2650)

akta.pro primary industry

Corrugated Packaging (Boxes, Sheets, Pads) (IMALACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Compostable & Bio-Based Packaging (PLA/PHA, Starch Blends, Cellulose Films) (IMALAMAB), Protective Paper Packaging (Honeycomb, Paper Cushioning, Paper Wrap) (IMALACAH)

Keywords

• Corrugated packaging
• Point of sale displays
• Sustainable food packaging
• Digital print packaging
• Industrial transit packaging

Headquarters

HQ city

Rotherham

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Corrugated Packaging Manufacturing and Sales: Cepac manufactures and sells corrugated packaging solutions including boxes, trays, displays, and specialty packaging products. Revenue is generated through direct sales to customers across various sectors including food, consumer goods, industrial, and e-commerce.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Cepac designs, manufactures, and sells corrugated packaging products (boxes, trays, wraparounds, point-of-sale displays) and specialty packaging solutions (Arcwise curved, CorSoft cushioned, Chiller Pack, Flutepac sustainable trays, UN-certified hazardous packaging) across four UK manufacturing plants. The company serves food and drink, consumer goods, industrial, e-commerce, and POS/display customers with integrated flexo, litho, digital, and screenprint capabilities.

Product overview

Cepac is the UK's leading independent corrugated packaging company offering a comprehensive portfolio of packaging solutions across four UK plants (Darlington, Doncaster, Rawcliffe, Rotherham). The company operates a platform-plus-specializations model combining core corrugated manufacturing with specialized product lines including Performance Packaging (pioneered by the company), Flutepac sustainable food packaging, Arcwise curved corrugated technology, CorSoft cushioned packaging, and various specialty products (CorShield, Bulkpac, Loadpac). The company offers integrated print solutions across multiple technologies (Flexo, Litho, Digital, Screenprint) with Doncaster specializing in Digital Print and Display Solutions. Services include UN Certified Packaging for hazardous goods, structural innovation, and the Cepac Express rapid-turnaround digital print service.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Flutepac: Sustainable paper-based trays and containers for the food industry, launched in 2020. Provides alternative next generation food packaging that is biodegradable and compostable.
• Cepac Digital
• Flexoreel
• Arcwise

Products and services

• Performance Packaging Corrugated packaging solutions tailor-made to fit specific customer requirements, applying science and measurement to material selection and process control with pressure sensor technology. For brands and manufacturers needing performance-validated packaging.
• Arcwise Curved corrugated packaging product licensed from SCA Forest Products, enabling corrugated board to bend in smooth continuous curves with smaller radius than ever before. Used for retail-ready packaging, consumer packaging, transit packaging, in-store displays, and gifting.
• CorSoft Cushioned corrugated product with soft lining that is non-abrasive, light, recyclable, and oil and water resistant. First soft-lined corrugated product offered in the UK market, used to protect polished or delicate items in transit (e.g., kitchen doors, boilers).
• Chiller Pack IP-registered corrugated packaging that transports fish or shellfish in chilled environments, maintaining low temperatures for over 78 hours. Used by aquaculture and seafood producers needing cold-chain packaging.
• Flutepac Sustainable paper-based trays and containers for the food industry, with corrugated base material that is biodegradable, compostable, and easily recyclable. For food producers, packers, retailers, brand owners, and consumers seeking sustainable food packaging.
• Cepac Digital Single-pass digital printing service using HP Scitex 17000 and EFI Nozomi C18000 technology for cost-effective, high-quality direct-to-board printing without traditional printing plates. Eliminates lamination steps and enables rapid job turns for brands needing on-demand short runs.
• Flexoreel Flexographic pre-print operation offering HD quality at 175lpi. UK's leading independent provider for pre-print liner with high definition capability for high-volume corrugated packaging customers.
• Display Solutions Point of Sale (POS) and display solutions including bespoke displays, free-standing display units (FSDU), and fully corrugated card environments for retail spaces. For brands and retailers requiring in-store brand activation and promotional packaging.
• UN Certified Packaging UN-accredited corrugated packaging solutions for hazardous goods including flammable, toxic, or corrosive materials. Available at the Rawcliffe site for industrial manufacturers requiring dangerous goods compliance.
• CorShield Ultimate protection corrugated packaging product from the specialty products suite, designed for maximum product protection.
• Bulkpac High performance transit and display solution from the specialty products suite.
• Loadpac Interlocking trays from the specialty products suite, designed for heavy-duty load-bearing applications.
• Cepac Express Digital print service offering fast, on-demand tailor-made Point of Sale and decorative packaging for smaller quantity orders. Targets SMB and craft brand customers needing rapid turnaround.
• Print Solutions Full range of integrated print solutions including Flexo pre-print and post print, Offset Litho, Screenprint, and Digital print across all Cepac facilities. Available to customers requiring multi-technology print options.
• Structural Innovation Leading edge structural design service for corrugated packaging solutions, including bespoke structural engineering. Provided to customers needing custom-designed packaging structures.

Quantifiable outcome

• 99% reduction in product damage for Nestlé Nescafé packaging
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• AdpakminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Partnership to showcase automated application of Arcwise curved corrugated packaging. Adpak developed machinery to auto-erect and fill Arcwise boxes for retail-ready and transit packaging.
• SCA Forest ProductscoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 1 January 2017Licensed Arcwise curved corrugated packaging technology from SCA Forest Products. Cepac holds UK rights to this pioneering curved packaging solution.
• HP (Hewlett-Packard)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2016Significant seven-figure investment in HP Scitex 17000 Corrugated Press at Doncaster for digital printing transformation. Later partnership with HP digital to transform print on demand capabilities, enabling outstanding graphics on demand without stock requirements.
• NestlécoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Longstanding strategic partnership developing innovative packaging solutions including Nescafé Café Menu with laser ablation technology. Cepac named Nestlé UK Supplier of the Year.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• DS Smith: UK-headquartered global corrugated packaging leader with an extensive UK and European plant network; directly comparable to Cepac across corrugated boxes, displays, and sustainable packaging, but operates at significantly larger scale and is publicly listed.
• Smurfit Kappa: Global paper-based packaging group with a strong UK corrugated and consumer packaging presence; comparable product portfolio (corrugated, POS, sustainable packaging) and serves many of the same F&B and FMCG enterprise customers as Cepac.
• VPK Packaging: European corrugated packaging manufacturer with UK operations; comparable in product range (corrugated cases, POS, sustainable solutions) and in targeting F&B and industrial customers at a similar independent/regional scale to Cepac.

Broad incumbents

• Mondi: UK-listed global packaging and paper group with significant corrugated operations across Europe; overlaps with Cepac in containerboard and corrugated solutions for FMCG and industrial customers.
• Stora Enso: Nordic renewable packaging major with corrugated and consumer board offerings; overlaps with Cepac in renewable, fibre-based packaging for F&B and retail, but at much larger scale and breadth.
• WestRock: US-based global paper and packaging group with corrugated and consumer packaging divisions; comparable in corrugated boxes, displays, and sustainable packaging, though primarily serving North American customers.
• Packaging Corporation of America: US-listed containerboard and corrugated packaging producer with strong focus on sustainable packaging; broadly comparable in corrugated manufacturing scale and customer mix, though North America-focused.

Regional players

• Saica Group: European corrugated packaging producer with UK plants; competes in the same corrugated boxes, displays, and sustainable packaging categories as Cepac and serves overlapping FMCG/industrial customers.
• Klabin: Brazilian integrated paper and packaging producer with corrugated operations; comparable in sustainable, fibre-based packaging strategy but operates in a different geography and serves different end-markets.

Emerging players

• Billerud: Swedish renewable packaging company expanding into corrugated and fibre-based solutions; thematic peer in the shift from plastic to paper-based packaging that Cepac's Flutepac range also targets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CepacLtd
• Facebookfacebook.com/CepacLtd
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/3203477

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles20 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 Cepac