C.L. Smith

What C.L. Smith does

C.L. Smith is a St. Louis-based full-service rigid packaging distributor and manufacturer founded in 1975, operating as a subsidiary of Novvia Group, the PE-backed holding company formed in 2021 by Kelso & Company that combines C.L. Smith with Inmark and Silver Spur. The company serves approximately 3,486 B2B customers across 4 countries with about 75 employees, distributed across a corporate headquarters in St. Louis and a national network of 27+ U.S. office locations spanning Missouri, Texas, Tennessee, West Virginia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Indiana, Georgia, Florida, California, Colorado, Arkansas, Washington, Minnesota, North Carolina, and others. Its primary verticals include industrial chemical, paint and coatings, household chemical, petroleum and oil, automotive, food and flavorings, pharmaceutical and nutraceutical, personal care, battery and electronics, home and garden, and pet care and animal health.

The company's core offering is a broad catalog of rigid packaging products including plastic bottles and jars in HDPE, LDPE, PET and PVC resins; pails; glass bottles and jars; metal cans and steel pails; drum packaging (steel, poly, fibre); IBC totes; flexible packaging and pouches; squeeze tubes; cartridge systems; and corrugated products. Its key technical differentiator is the HAZPlus division, which provides turn-key hazardous material packaging — design, testing, UN certification, and manufacturing — backed by UN Dangerous Goods, ISTA, and ASTM testing credentials. The company also operates in-house blow molding and bottle molding manufacturing, contract filling services, decoration and labeling, and dangerous goods safety training (49CFR General and Security Awareness Training).

Revenue is generated through transactional distribution of stock packaging, custom design and manufacturing projects, and hazmat packaging sales (including via the online store at shop.clsmith.com). Go-to-market is sales-led, with direct engagement by packaging specialists, online quote requests, and a digital product catalog. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is quote-based on a pay-as-you-go cadence for both standard and custom units. Two named internal leaders are Patrick Edwards (Director of Operations for HAZPlus) and Danielle Thomas (Director of Marketing and Communications for Novvia Group). The company is WBENC-certified as a woman-owned business (since 2019) and received an Ecovadis Bronze Level sustainability award in 2025.

Name

C.L. Smith

Legal name

C.L. Smith Company

Website

https://clsmith.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

C.L. Smith is a St. Louis-based B2B rigid packaging distributor and manufacturer serving industrial customers with containers, custom blow molding, and turn-key hazardous material packaging through its HAZPlus division, operating as part of PE-backed Novvia Group.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Packaging Distribution

NAICS

Industrial Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (423840), Packaging and Labeling Services (56191)

SIC

Wholesale-Machinery, Equipment & Supplies (5080), Metal Shipping Barrels, Drums, Kegs & Pails (3412), Wholesale-Professional & Commercial Equipment & Supplies (5040)

akta.pro primary industry

Industrial & Chemical Rigid Plastic Packaging (Drums, Pails, Jerrycans) (IMALAAAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Hazardous Materials & UN-Certified Transport Packaging (Dangerous Goods Packaging) (IMALAFAK), Hazardous Materials & UN-Certified Bulk Packaging (IMALAGAH), Rigid Food Containers (Cups, Trays, Clamshells) (IMALAAAD)

Keywords

• Rigid packaging distribution
• Hazardous material packaging
• Custom bottle manufacturing
• UN certified containers
• Industrial packaging supplies

Headquarters

HQ city

St Louis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices27 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Container and Packaging Distribution: Distribution of high-quality and cost-effective packaging materials and containers including plastic bottles, jars, metal cans, glass bottles, pails, drums, IBC totes, and closures
2. Custom Packaging Manufacturing: Custom design, bottle molding, and manufacturing services for specialized packaging needs
3. HAZPlus Hazardous Material Packaging: Turn-key hazmat packaging solutions including design, testing, certification and manufacturing for compliance
4. Dangerous Goods Safety Training: Training services for shipping hazardous materials including 49CFR General and Security Awareness Training

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

C.L. Smith is a wholesale distributor and custom manufacturer of rigid packaging, supplying plastic and glass bottles, metal cans, pails, drums, IBC totes, closures, and corrugated products to industrial customers. The company operates the HAZPlus division, which delivers turn-key hazardous material packaging including custom design, testing, UN certification, and manufacturing. It also offers custom packaging design, bottle molding, contract filling, decoration and labeling, and dangerous goods safety training.

Product overview

C.L. Smith is a premier, full-service bottle manufacturer, UN Certifier, and full-stocking distributor of high-quality packaging materials and containers. The company operates as part of the Novvia Group and offers a comprehensive portfolio of packaging solutions organized into several core product categories: plastic containers (bottles, jars, pails, tubs, squeeze tubes, cartridge systems), glass bottles, metal cans, closures, drum packaging, IBC totes, and corrugated products. The company specializes in hazardous material packaging through its HAZPlus division, offering UN-certified packaging with design, testing, certification, and manufacturing services. Additional offerings include custom packaging design and manufacturing, contract filling services, decoration and labeling, and dangerous goods safety training. The product portfolio spans from standard stock items to highly specialized hazmat packaging including special permit packaging, 4GV/Variation 2 packaging, battery packaging, and fireworks packaging.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• HAZPlus: Hazardous material packaging division offering turn-key service for compliance including design, testing, certification and manufacturing of hazmat containers.

Products and services

• Plastic Bottles & Jars Wholesale plastic containers including bottles, jars, tubs, pails, flexibles, pouches, squeeze tubes, and cartridge systems for industrial and consumer product manufacturers.
• Glass Bottles & Jars Glass containers for food, beverage, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic applications including Boston Round, Wide Mouth, and specialty shapes.
• Metal Cans Metal tin cans including paint cans, F-Style cans, monotop cans, cone top cans, and aluminum containers for various industrial applications.
• Closures (Caps, Pumps & Sprays) Packaging closures including continuous thread caps, child-resistant closures, dispenser pumps, trigger sprayers, and tamper-evident caps.
• Drum Packaging Industrial drum packaging including steel drums, poly drums, and fibre drums for hazardous and non-hazardous materials.
• IBC Totes Intermediate Bulk Containers for bulk liquid storage and transportation across industrial applications.
• HAZPlus Hazardous Material Packaging Turn-key hazardous material packaging solutions including design, testing, certification, and manufacturing for compliance with DOT regulations.
• Custom Packaging Design Custom design and manufacturing services including bottle molding and custom hazardous material packaging solutions for specialized product needs.
• Contract Filling Turnkey packaging solutions for diverse product lines through contract filling services.
• Decoration & Labeling Product decoration and labeling services to enhance brand identity and product information on packaging.
• Dangerous Goods Safety Training Safety training services for hazardous materials handling and shipping compliance, including 49CFR General and Security Awareness Training under the HAZPlus program.
• Corrugated Products Corrugated packaging solutions for secondary packaging and shipping applications.
• Flexible Packaging Solutions Flexible packaging including pouches and flexible intermediate bulk containers for various industrial applications.

Quantifiable outcome

• 50 years of packaging industry experience
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments13 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• TricorBraun: Major rigid packaging distributor serving industrial, food, beverage, and personal care markets with extensive product portfolio and custom design capabilities. A direct competitor in C.L. Smith's core plastic bottles, jars, and containers business.
• The Cary Company: Distributor of rigid packaging containers, IBC totes, and specialty chemicals with comparable industrial chemical and hazmat exposure. Direct competitor in intermediate bulk containers and drum packaging distribution.
• Berlin Packaging: Largest hybrid packaging supplier in North America, offering rigid containers, drums, pails, and custom services across industrial chemicals, food, and personal care end markets. Directly competes with C.L. Smith on distribution plus value-added services.
• All American Containers: National distributor of rigid packaging containers including plastic and glass bottles, jars, and closures. Competes with C.L. Smith across personal care, food, and industrial customer segments.
• Inmark: Sister company under Novvia Group, specializing in hazardous materials packaging and dangerous goods shipping solutions. Overlaps directly with C.L. Smith's HAZPlus division and serves adjacent hazmat customers.
• Silver Spur: Sister company under Novvia Group supplying industrial rigid packaging including pails, drums, and IBCs. Sister brand and direct platform peer within Novvia Group's served markets.

Broad incumbents

• Silgan Holdings: Diversified rigid packaging manufacturer with metal containers, plastic containers, and dispensing closures divisions. Competes with C.L. Smith across metal cans, plastic pails, and closures categories.
• AptarGroup: Global leader in dispensing systems and packaging components including pumps, sprayers, and closures. Directly competes with C.L. Smith's closures, pumps, and sprayers category.
• Greif Inc: Global industrial packaging manufacturer producing steel drums, IBCs, fibre drums, and containerboard. Overlaps with C.L. Smith's drum and IBC tote product lines and competes with industrial chemical and petroleum customers.
• Sonoco Products: Diversified global packaging manufacturer with rigid plastic containers, metal cans, and industrial packaging products. Overlaps with C.L. Smith on industrial packaging and serves similar chemical and food customers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/clsmith

Compliance11 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 C.L. Smith