What Papier Mettler does

Papier-Mettler is a privately held, family-owned German packaging manufacturer headquartered in Morbach, Germany, operating through Papier-Mettler KG and wholly owned subsidiaries in the UK (Papier-Mettler UK Ltd), Italy (Papier-Mettler Italia s.r.l.) and a separate German operating entity (Mettler-Verpackungen GmbH & Co. KG), with additional operating/hiring presence in Poland, Sweden and the United States. The company self-describes as the European market leader in service packaging made of paper and plastic and as one of the market-leading manufacturers of flexible packaging; no parent company, external investor or stock-exchange listing is disclosed.

The company runs a vertically integrated production platform spanning film extrusion, flexographic printing, lamination and bag-making, combined with 30+ years of in-house mechanical recycling. Its product portfolio covers paper and plastic carrier bags, food-retail bags and sacks, service and takeaway packaging, e-commerce and online-grocery carrier/mailing bags, industrial films (shrink, stretch, MAP trays, laminating films) for food and non-food industries, and a DIN EN ISO 15378 (GMP) compliant pmFlexibles line for pharmaceutical, medical-technology and chemical primary packaging. A sustainability brand family (ecoLoop / I'm eco PCR, DuraBag, I'm green sugarcane-based, bioStep, paper², I'm sustain, I'm HySustain, Climateline) is certified with the Blue Angel eco-label and is positioned to address EU Regulation 2015/720 and corporate ESG mandates.

Commercially, Papier-Mettler sells primarily B2B through direct field/enterprise sales channels, supported by six-language corporate websites and country-specific sales entities. Pricing is quote-based (Euro ex works Morbach, INCOTERMS EXW/CPT/DDP), with bespoke contracts featuring minimum call-off volumes, raw-material/FX/labor price-adjustment clauses, and 14/30-day payment terms. Co-development partnerships with leading European supermarket chains (E-food carrier bag) and pharma/medical customers (pmFlexibles) generate service and tooling revenue alongside core product sales. The group is governed as a German Kommanditgesellschaft, has been operating for more than 60 years, and from January 2024 falls under the German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act (LkSG).

Name

Papier Mettler

Legal name

Papier-Mettler KG

Website

https://papier-mettler.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1960

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Papier-Mettler is a family-owned, Morbach-headquartered European manufacturer of paper and plastic carrier bags, food-retail and e-commerce packaging, industrial films and ISO 15378 pharmaceutical flexible packaging, serving retailers and industrial customers across DE, UK, IT, FR, ES, PL, SE and the US.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Packaging Manufacturing

NAICS

Plastics Bag and Pouch Manufacturing (326111), Plastics Packaging Film and Sheet (including Laminated) Manufacturing (326112), Paper Bag and Coated and Treated Paper Manufacturing (322220)

SIC

Plastics, Foil & Coated Paper Bags (2673), Unsupported Plastics Film & Sheet (3081), Converted Paper & Paperboard Prods (No Contaners/Boxes) (2670)

akta.pro primary industry

Plastic Packaging Products Manufacturing (Rigid & Flexible) (IMANAOAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Paper-Based Packaging & Single-Use Paper Products (Paper Bags, Wraps, Cartons) (CRADALAL), Secondary & Multipack Packaging (IMALAHAB), Hazardous Materials & UN-Certified Transport Packaging (Dangerous Goods Packaging) (IMALAFAK)

Keywords

• Paper carrier bags
• Plastic packaging solutions
• Flexible industrial films
• Pharmaceutical packaging
• Sustainable packaging

Headquarters

HQ city

Morbach

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. B2B sales of manufactured packaging: Primary revenue from direct sale of manufactured paper and plastic packaging (carrier bags, food/non-food retail bags, takeaway/service items, e-commerce mailing bags, industrial films, MAP trays, pharmaceutical/chemical flexible packaging) to retailers and industrial customers under bespoke contracts with minimum call-off volumes. Quote-based pricing; payment terms typically net 30 days (or 14 days with discount); prices in Euros ex works (Morbach) under INCOTERMS EXW/CPT/DDP.
2. Custom co-development contracts (e.g., E-food bags, pmFlexibles pharma): Joint product development with major customers (e.g., supermarket chains for E-food carrier bags; pharma/medical customers via pmFlexibles), including tooling, plates, and proprietary artwork — generating service and customization revenue alongside core product sales.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Papier-Mettler manufactures paper and plastic packaging products, including carrier bags, food retail bags, service and takeaway packaging, e-commerce shipping bags, and industrial flexible films (shrink/stretch films, MAP trays). It also offers tailored flexible packaging for pharmaceutical, medical technology and chemical customers (pmFlexibles) and a portfolio of sustainable products (DuraBag reusable bags, ecoLoop PCR packaging, I'm green sugarcane-based packaging).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ecoLoop / I'm eco: Closed-loop Post-Consumer-Recycled (PCR) packaging line certified with the Blue Angel eco-label; processed entirely in-house.
• I'm green
• bioStep
• DuraBag
• I'm sustain
• I'm HySustain
• paper
• paper²
• pmFlexibles

Products and services

• ecoLoop / I'm eco Closed Loop PCR Packaging Closed-loop Post-Consumer-Recycling (PCR) packaging concept with the entire value chain processed in-house and certified with the Blue Angel eco label, enabling recycled-content packaging that can be returned to the recycling loop after use. Sold to retail and industrial customers.
• I'm green Bio-based Packaging Packaging solutions made from renewable sugar-cane based raw material (I'm green), positioned as a bio-based alternative within the sustainable product portfolio. Sold to retail and industrial customers.
• DuraBag Reusable Carrier Bag Reusable carrier bag manufactured in Germany with a unique double-layer construction; available in PCR material (ecoLoop, Blue Angel certified) or I'm green sugarcane-based material; 100% recyclable and suitable for multiple reuse cycles. Sold to retail chains and industry.
• bioStep Sustainable Packaging Range Range of biodegradable and compostable packaging solutions within the eco-focused product family, sold to retail and industrial customers.
• Textile Carrier Bags Textile carrier bags made from woven or non-woven polypropylene, including cotton bags, reusable mesh bags and reusable woven/non-woven PP variants for retail and consumer use.
• Food Retail Carrier Bags Paper and plastic carrier bags for the food retail sector, including paper bags with flat/rope/punch-out handles, Flexiloop carriers, glue-patch and vest carriers, wavy-top and clip-close carriers, freezer carrier bags, woven/non-woven PP textile carriers, cotton and reusable mesh bags. Sold to supermarket chains and food retailers.
• Food Retail Bags and Sacks Paper and plastic bags and sacks for food retail and bakery sector, including gusseted bags, block-bottom bags, cross-bottom bags, cone-shaped bags, flat bags, window bags, sliced-bread bags, produce bags, bag-on-a-roll, thermo-insulated bags and reusable freezer bags. Sold to bakeries, deli counters and food retailers.
• Service and Takeaway Packaging Service and takeaway packaging for bakeries, deli counters, quick-service restaurants and catering, including paper wrap, coffee cups, napkins, paper plates, cake boxes, cardboard packaging, greaseproof paper, sheets, deli cups, cutlery, biscuit containers, fast-food containers, plastic lids, cling film, aluminium foil, gloves and bin bags. Sold to food service operators.
• E-Food Carrier Bags Bags and pouches designed for online grocery shopping, click-and-collect and drive-in fulfilment, including poly and paper carrier bags with wide bases, block-bottom bags, freezer pouches, DuraFold with short-side gusset and paper carrier bags with handles inside. Co-developed with leading European supermarket chains. Sold to online grocery retailers.
• Industrial Food Packaging Films Shrink wrap, MAP trays, laminating films and stretch film for transit protection across beverages, bakery and frozen food, dairy, meat/fish/processed meat, fruit and vegetables, and pet food. Produced through in-house film extrusion, flexographic printing, lamination and bag manufacture. Sold to industrial food manufacturers.
• Non-Food Industrial Protective Packaging Paper and plastic protective packaging for industrial customers in construction and build, energy and electronics, timber, glass, sanitation, furniture and fittings, horticulture and bulk products, and print and boxes. Sold to industrial manufacturers.
• pmFlexibles Pharmaceutical and Chemical Flexible Packaging Custom flexible packaging for pharmaceutical, medical technology and chemical customers, including flat films, tubular films, flat bags, gusseted bags, die-cuts, laminate films, seal-edge bags and inliners; produced in a GMP-compliant (DIN EN ISO 15378) production zone for primary, secondary and tertiary packaging. Sold to pharma, medical technology and chemical companies.
• Non-Food E-Commerce Mailing Bags Mailing bags for e-commerce shipping in the non-food sector. Sold to online retailers and e-commerce shippers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 5,000+ employees worldwide; largest employer in Morbach and the region
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and operational.

• Leading European supermarket chains (unnamed)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPapier-Mettler joined forces with leading European supermarket chains to co-develop the E-food carrier bag with a wide-base design for click-and-collect/drive-in grocery pickup. Specific chain names are not disclosed in the source material.
• Google (LLC) — Google Analytics, Google Maps API, Google AdWords/Conversion Tracking, YouTubeoperationalTechnology or IntegrationGoogle technology stack embedded across the corporate website for analytics (Google Analytics with IP anonymization), conversion tracking (Google AdWords), embedded map display (Google Maps API), and video hosting/embedding (YouTube).
• Matomo (open-source web analytics)operationalTechnology or IntegrationOpen-source Matomo analytics (formerly Piwik) used in parallel with Google Analytics for statistical visitor analysis; data stored on a server in Strasbourg, France with anonymized IPs.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Constantia Flexibles: Austrian flexible packaging manufacturer serving food, pharma and consumer goods with films, laminates and pouches — directly comparable to Papier-Mettler's pmFlexibles pharma and industrial film businesses.
• Huhtamaki: Finnish food-service and consumer goods packaging manufacturer with overlapping paper and plastic carrier bags, takeaway packaging and flexible films for food retail — directly comparable on customer verticals and product formats.
• Waddington Europe (Novolex): European rigid and flexible food-service and retail packaging manufacturer (part of Novolex) producing takeaway containers and carrier bags for supermarket and QSR customers — directly comparable on food retail and service-to-go packaging.
• Coveris: European flexible and rigid packaging producer serving food, retail and industrial customers with films, pouches and carrier bags — directly comparable across food retail, non-food retail and e-commerce packaging formats.
• Schur Pack: Danish family-owned carrier bag and flexible packaging manufacturer serving European retail and industrial customers — closely comparable mid-sized European player with overlapping paper and plastic carrier bag portfolios.
• Bischof + Klein: German family-owned flexible packaging manufacturer producing industrial films, laminates and specialty bags — a closely comparable mid-sized European player with overlapping pharma/industrial film capabilities.
• ProAmpac: US-headquartered flexible packaging and specialty bag manufacturer with comparable food, retail and e-commerce flexible packaging formats — including recyclable and PCR-based products competing with ecoLoop.

Broad incumbents

• Mondi Group: European-headquartered paper and flexible packaging major with broad paper-based and corrugated carrier formats that compete with Papier-Mettler's paper carrier bags and food/non-food packaging lines.
• Smurfit Kappa: Global paper-based packaging leader with European paperboard and carrier formats; overlaps with Papier-Mettler's paper-based carrier and food retail bag portfolio but operates at much larger scale.
• Sealed Air: Global protective and food packaging company whose shrink films, MAP trays and protective packaging overlap directly with Papier-Mettler's industrial films and food-industry packaging range.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=R9efX1gC83c

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries4 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 Papier Mettler