What Curtis Packaging Corporation does

Curtis Packaging Corporation is a privately held, family-controlled designer and manufacturer of custom luxury folding cartons, founded in 1845 in Sandy Hook, Connecticut and operating continuously from the same location for over 180 years. The company produces approximately 400 million cartons annually for iconic global brands across spirits (Jack Daniel's, Grey Goose, Casamigos), beauty and fragrance (Estée Lauder, Glossier, Perricone MD, Donna Karan, bareMinerals, Elizabeth Arden, Dunhill), confectionery (Lindt), healthcare and medical devices (Nova Max, Menarini, Covidien), and lifestyle categories (Titleist, Alex and Ani). Its core technology stack combines proprietary, trademarked printing and coating innovations (CurtCHROME, PianoBlack, CurtCOAT, CurtCRYSTAL, CurtMOTION, Coatography, InvisibleDOT, Soft Touch, SBR, Double Matte) with world-first equipment configurations including a 14-station Koenig & Bauer 106 press, the first Scodix S6000 installation globally, and Bobst die-cutting systems capable of up to 50,000 sheets per hour.

Curtis operates an enterprise field-sales go-to-market model targeting luxury and premium brands through direct outreach, plant tours, line trials, and industry events such as Luxepack NYC. Revenue is generated through one-time custom manufacturing contracts, with pricing determined by project specifications, materials, finishes, and run volumes rather than disclosed list pricing. The customer base is concentrated in brand-driven verticals where shelf differentiation, premium unboxing experiences, and sustainability credentials justify premium unit economics. Sustainability is a deliberate strategic pillar: Curtis was the first carbon neutral packaging company in North America (2007), the first printing company to operate entirely on 100% renewable energy (2006), and holds EcoVadis, CarbonNeutral, BRCGS, ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 50001, ISO 15378, and ISO 12647 certifications, supporting a 99% waste recycling rate and zero-waste-to-landfill status.

The business is led by President and CEO Donnie Droppo (son of former president Don Droppo Sr.), who has overseen a multi-year capital improvement plan totaling $26 million in equipment and facility investments. In 2024, Curtis entered a strategic alliance with European luxury packaging firm H.O. Persiehl, signaling an intent to expand geographic reach. The company is privately held with no venture capital, private equity, or parent company involvement disclosed, and is a founding member of the Independent Carton Group cooperative purchasing alliance.

Name

Curtis Packaging Corporation

Legal name

Curtis Packaging

Website

https://curtispackaging.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1845

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Curtis Packaging Corporation is a privately held, 180-year-old custom luxury folding carton manufacturer in Sandy Hook, CT, producing ~400 million premium cartons annually for iconic global brands across spirits, beauty, healthcare, and confectionery via proprietary printing technologies and enterprise field sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Custom Luxury Folding Carton Packaging

NAICS

Folding Paperboard Box Manufacturing (322212), Paperboard Container Manufacturing (32221)

SIC

Paperboard Containers & Boxes (2650)

akta.pro primary industry

Folding Cartons (Folding Boxboard, SBS/SUS) (IMALACAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Folding Carton & Paperboard Packaging Printing (IMALAKAH), Folding Cartons & Paperboard Packaging Converting (IMAMAHAB), Secondary & Gift Packaging (Folding Cartons, Sets, Rigid Boxes) (IMALAJAK)

Keywords

• Custom folding cartons
• Luxury packaging manufacturing
• Premium printing finishing
• Sustainable packaging solutions
• Structural carton design

Headquarters

HQ city

Sandy Hook

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Custom Folding Carton Manufacturing: Curtis Packaging generates revenue through the design and manufacture of custom luxury folding cartons for premium brands. Revenue is derived from one-time production contracts for custom packaging solutions, with pricing based on specifications, materials, and run quantities. The company produces approximately 400 million cartons annually for iconic global brands.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Curtis Packaging Corporation designs and manufactures custom luxury folding cartons for premium and iconic global brands. The company combines structural carton design with proprietary printing and finishing technologies (e.g., CurtCHROME metallic, CurtCOAT, PianoBlack, CurtCRYSTAL, Coatography, CurtMOTION) and produces approximately 400 million cartons annually from its Sandy Hook, Connecticut facility.

Product overview

Curtis Packaging Corporation is a luxury folding carton packaging manufacturer offering custom packaging solutions and proprietary printing/coating technologies. The core offering is luxury folding carton packaging, supported by proprietary printing innovations including CurtCHROME® (metallic printing alternative), PianoBlack™ (high-gloss black finish), CurtCOAT® (VOC-free ultra-gloss coating), CurtCRYSTAL® (raised tactile coating), InvisibleDOT™ (stochastic printing), Soft Touch (tactile coating), CurtMOTION (visual motion coating), SBR™ (set-up box replacement), Double Matte (deep matte finish), and Coatography® (digital precision coating). The company also provides printing services (UV Koenig & Bauer presses), die cutting/die making, hot stamping, embossing/debossing, and quality control services. They produce approximately 400 million cartons annually for global luxury brands including Lindt, Titleist, Estée Lauder, Jack Daniels, and Casamigos.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CurtCHROME: A vibrant metallic printing alternative to traditional foil lamination/hot stamping. CurtCHROME metallic inks stimulate Met Poly at a fraction of the cost and are fully recyclable.
• PianoBlack
• CurtCOAT
• CurtCRYSTAL
• InvisibleDOT
• Soft Touch
• CurtMOTION
• SBR
• Double Matte
• Coatography

Products and services

• CurtCHROME® metallic printing A vibrant metallic printing alternative to traditional foil lamination/hot stamping. CurtCHROME metallic inks stimulate Met Poly at a fraction of the cost and are fully recyclable. Offered as a finishing option on Curtis's custom folding cartons for luxury brands.
• PianoBlack™ high-gloss black finish A Curtis proprietary printing innovation producing a deep, rich, super high-gloss black finish through proprietary inks combined with exclusive CurtCOAT ultra-gloss UV coating. Available as a finishing option on luxury folding cartons.
• CurtCOAT® ultra-gloss VOC-free coating An ultra-gloss alternative to film lamination that is VOC-free and provides a mirror-like finish that is 100% recyclable. Applied as a finishing option on Curtis custom folding cartons.
• CurtCRYSTAL® raised tactile coating A raised tactile coating exhibiting diamond-like brilliance, creating texture at a fraction of the cost of traditional micro-embossing. Applied as a finishing option on Curtis luxury folding cartons.
• InvisibleDOT™ Stochastic printing A Stochastic printing technique with a crisp 300+ high-resolution line screen allowing smoother gradations and superior photographic-quality images. Offered as a printing option on custom folding cartons.
• Soft Touch tactile coating An ultra-soft, fully recyclable tactile coating offered as a sustainable alternative to soft touch laminates. Applied as a finishing option on luxury folding cartons.
• CurtMOTION visual motion coating A proprietary coating process that brings visual motion to packaging, providing shelf appeal, durability, recyclability, and unique customer experience at a fraction of traditional lenticular costs. Offered as a finishing option on Curtis luxury cartons.
• SBR™ (Set-up Box Replacement) cartons A folding carton technology that replaces traditional rigid set-up boxes with clean lines and outstanding strength, offered as a savvy alternative for luxury brands seeking premium presentation with folding-carton economics.
• Double Matte deep matte finish An exclusive Curtis process that delivers an ultra-rich and resilient deep matte finish, developed on proprietary equipment with single-pass efficiency. Applied as a luxury finishing option on Curtis custom cartons.
• Coatography® digital precision coating An undulating landscape of high-gloss, tactile coating that achieves digital precision in a single pass using the Scodix S6000. Offered as a finishing option on Curtis luxury folding cartons.
• Custom luxury folding carton manufacturing Bespoke design, printing, and converting of custom luxury folding cartons using SBS, Met Poly, and Forte Board substrates. Combines structural design expertise with proprietary finishing technologies to produce approximately 400 million cartons annually for global brands in spirits, beauty, confectionery, healthcare, and lifestyle categories.

Quantifiable outcome

• 400 million cartons produced annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers17 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature10 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and supporting.

• H.O. PersiehlmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCurtis Packaging Corporation, an Esteemed American Luxury Packaging Pioneer, has joined forces with H.O. Persiehl, a Stalwart European Luxury Packaging Icon. This partnership combines American craftsmanship with European luxury packaging expertise.
• EcoVadiscoreOthersCurtis Packaging holds EcoVadis certification for environmental sustainability and social responsibility practices. EcoVadis provides sustainability assessments for companies.
• CarbonNeutralcoreOthersCurtis Packaging achieved CarbonNeutral certification in 2007, becoming the first carbon neutral packaging company in North America. CarbonNeutral certification validates net-zero carbon emissions.
• BRCGScoreOthersCurtis Packaging holds BRCGS (Brand Reputation through Compliance Global Standards) certification for packaging materials safety and quality management.
• CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project)supportingOthersCurtis Packaging partners with CDP for carbon disclosure and environmental reporting, participating in global environmental transparency initiatives.
• EPA Green Power PartnersupportingOthersRecognized by EPA as a Green Power Partner for running 100% of operations on renewable energy, generating approximately 25% onsite.
• Native EnergysupportingOthersClean energy project partner for carbon offset investments that enable Curtis's carbon neutral manufacturing operations.
• SedexsupportingOthersPartner for supply chain ethics and responsible business practices monitoring through Sedex's ethical supply chain data platform.
• Independent Carton Group (ICG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCurtis Packaging is a founding member of the Independent Carton Group. ICG negotiates long-term contracts for volume discounts on raw materials, meets quarterly to discuss industry trends and advancements, and provides contingency planning support among members.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Arkay Packaging: Arkay is a New York-based luxury folding carton manufacturer serving cosmetics, fragrance, and spirits brands with custom structural design and specialty finishing. Direct competitor to Curtis in the same customer verticals (Estée Lauder-type accounts) with comparable sustainability and FSC certifications.
• Diamond Packaging: Rochester, NY-based folding carton converter specializing in premium and sustainable packaging for cosmetics, personal care, and confectionery. Direct competitor to Curtis in the luxury folding carton segment with shared focus on FSC-certified, recyclable cartons and award-winning finishing.
• McLean Packaging Corporation: Specialty folding carton manufacturer focused on high-end cosmetics, personal care, and pharmaceutical packaging. Closely comparable to Curtis in target customer base, custom structural design capabilities, and premium finishing focus.
• H.O. Persiehl: Stalwart European luxury folding carton manufacturer and Curtis's 2024 strategic partner. Comparable offering of premium packaging solutions for luxury brands, with complementary geography making them a partner as well as the most direct cross-Atlantic peer in the same niche.

Broad incumbents

• Berlin Packaging: Largest hybrid packaging supplier in North America offering bottles, jars, closures, and folding cartons across price points. Overlaps with Curtis in luxury folding cartons but operates as a much broader portfolio supplier to consumer goods rather than specializing in luxury folding cartons only.
• Graphic Packaging Holding Company: Public paperboard packaging manufacturer producing folding cartons for consumer products including beverage and food at scale. Much larger and broader than Curtis, but competes in the same paperboard folding carton category with significant R&D in barrier and sustainable substrates.
• WestRock Company (now Smurfit Westrock): Global paper and packaging giant producing folding cartons, corrugated, and consumer packaging at massive scale. Competes with Curtis in folding cartons for consumer goods but operates across a vastly broader portfolio and is vertically integrated into paperboard.
• Sonoco Products Company: Diversified global packaging manufacturer with a Consumer Packaging segment producing folding cartons and rigid paper containers. Overlaps with Curtis in paper-based consumer packaging but covers a far broader industrial scope.
• Smurfit Kappa: Global paper-based packaging leader with significant European folding carton operations serving luxury and consumer brands. Vertically integrated into paperboard production and operates at vastly greater scale than Curtis but competes in the same folding carton category.

Others

• Independent Carton Group (ICG): Alliance of independent folding carton manufacturers of which Curtis is a founding member. Represents a peer group rather than a competitor—provides member-only benefits including collective raw material purchasing, industry benchmarking, and contingency support that materially shape Curtis's competitive economics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@CurtisPackagingCT
• Facebookfacebook.com/CurtisPackagingCorporation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/curtis-packaging
• Instagraminstagram.com/curtispackagingcorporation
• TikToktiktok.com/@curtispackaging
• Xx.com/CurtisPkging

Compliance9 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Curtis Packaging Corporation