What Innovative Packaging Solutions does

Innovative Packaging Solutions (IPS), operating as CRK, LLC, is a custom corrugated packaging, display, and fulfillment provider headquartered in York, Pennsylvania, serving retail, e-commerce, industrial manufacturing, bookseller, wire-and-cable, and promotional marketing customers across the United States. The company designs and manufactures retail and e-commerce packaging, point-of-purchase displays, industrial shipping cartons, reels and spools for wire/cable/hose applications, promotional sales kits, and the patented Multi-D Media Shipper for booksellers, supplemented by co-packing, assembly, labeling, shrink-wrapping, and warehousing services delivered from a secondary fulfillment facility on Hill Street in York.

Core production technology centers on corrugated converting, custom folding and gluing, and specialty display production, with structural and graphic design capabilities built through the 2013 merger of Packaging Control Corporation (PCC) and IPS. IPS holds a registered patent on the Multi-D Media Shipper, available in three stock sizes with custom configurations, sold at disclosed per-case pricing via a Shopify-powered online store and email ordering. The company's go-to-market is sales-led and direct, with quote-based pricing across custom SKUs and a small public catalog for standardized items.

Since 2021, IPS has operated as a subsidiary of Welch Packaging Group, a family-owned corrugated platform with 20 business units and over 1,400 associates. The parent affiliation provides production capacity, sourcing scale, and potential geographic reach that IPS's standalone 11–50 employee footprint could not deliver, while IPS retains its brand, sales motion, and focus on problem-solving custom packaging for its customer base. Chuck Kelley serves as President and Co-Owner.

Name

Innovative Packaging Solutions

Legal name

CRK, LLC

Website

https://ipsinnovations.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Custom Corrugated Packaging Manufacturing

NAICS

Folding Paperboard Box Manufacturing (322212), Other Paperboard Container Manufacturing (322219), Packaging and Labeling Services (56191)

SIC

Paperboard Containers & Boxes (2650)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Display & Retail-Ready Packaging (PDQ, Shelf-Ready, End-Caps) (TLAIAGAF), Folding Carton & Paperboard Packaging Printing (IMALAKAH)

Keywords

• Custom packaging solutions
• Corrugated packaging manufacturing
• Point of purchase displays
• Media shipping containers
• Packaging fulfillment services

Headquarters

HQ city

York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Custom Packaging: Design and manufacture of custom retail packaging, industrial packaging, e-commerce packaging, and specialty cartons to meet specific customer needs.
2. Fulfillment Services: Comprehensive fulfillment including specialty folding and gluing, promotional packing, co-packing, product fulfillment, display assembly, labeling, and warehousing services.
3. Retail Displays: Custom point-of-purchase displays including counter displays, pallet displays, and standees designed to maximize consumer appeal.
4. Reels and Spools: Manufacturing of reels and spools in various sizes and substrates (plastic, wood, paper) for wire, cable, hosing, and belting applications.
5. Multi-D Media Shippers: Patented media shipping containers sold in standard and custom sizes, priced per case. Primary product for booksellers.
6. Promotional Packaging: Sales kits, direct mailers, and marketing materials for promotional campaigns, including custom holiday handouts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Innovative Packaging Solutions designs and manufactures custom corrugated packaging (retail, e-commerce, industrial, and promotional), custom point-of-purchase displays, and reels and spools, and provides integrated fulfillment services including specialty folding and gluing, co-packing, display assembly, labeling, shrink wrapping, and warehousing. Its flagship proprietary offering is the patented Multi-D Media Shipper, purpose-built for booksellers to ship books and other media of various sizes and quantities, available in stock Small, Medium, and Large sizes with custom sizing on request.

Product overview

Innovative Packaging Solutions (IPS) operates as a packaging and fulfillment service provider offering a comprehensive portfolio of integrated solutions. The core offerings include Retail Packaging and E-Commerce Packaging for product presentation and shipping; Retail Displays for maximizing consumer appeal; Reels & Spools for wire, cable, and hose applications; Fulfillment services for assembly and logistics coordination; Promotional Packaging for marketing materials; Industrial Packaging for custom shipping solutions; and the patented Multi-D Media Shipper for booksellers. The company joined Welch Packaging Group in 2023, combining PCC's production capabilities and infrastructure with IPS's sales, fulfillment, and design expertise to provide end-to-end packaging solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Retail Packaging Custom packaging designed to showcase products in retail settings and entice customers, utilizing various substrates and printing methods, intended for retail brands.
• E-Commerce Packaging Mail-order packaging designed for secure shipping and a pleasant unboxing experience, targeted at online retail and subscription services businesses.
• Retail Displays Custom point-of-purchase displays including counter displays, pallet displays, and standees designed to maximize consumer appeal in retail environments.
• Reels & Spools Reels and spools manufactured in various sizes and substrates including plastic, plastic corrugated, wooden flanged, nailed wood, and paper flanged, for wire, cable, hosing, and belting applications.
• Fulfillment Services Comprehensive fulfillment services including specialty folding and gluing, co-packing, product fulfillment, display assembly, labeling, shrink wrapping, and warehousing, coordinating assembly, packing, and logistics for customers.
• Promotional Packaging Sales kits, direct mailers, and marketing materials designed to promote products and reach new customers, serving businesses from start-ups to multi-national corporations.
• Industrial Packaging Custom industrial shipping solutions including custom shipping cartons, RSC/HSC/FOLs, diecut cartons, bulk cartons, tubes, mailers, pads, partitions, protective foam, and cornerboard.
• Multi-D Media Shipper

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Welch Packaging GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIPS joined Welch Packaging Family, a family-owned corrugated packaging group. IPS remains committed to founding ideals of superior customer service and innovative problem solving while now joining Welch's 20 corrugated business units with over 1400 associates. The partnership enables IPS to provide the 'Ultimate Corrugated Experience' for customers.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Packaging Corporation of America: One of the largest U.S. producers of corrugated packaging and containerboard, operating integrated paper mills and converter plants. PCA competes broadly with IPS in the same product categories (shipping cartons, retail displays, protective packaging) but at national scale, setting baseline pricing and service expectations in the market.
• Smurfit Kappa: Global leader in paper-based packaging with significant U.S. corrugated operations offering retail-ready packaging, displays, and e-commerce solutions. Overlaps directly with IPS's retail packaging, e-commerce, and display product lines as a much larger incumbent competitor.
• Pratt Industries (Pratt Corrugated Holdings): Major U.S. corrugated packaging manufacturer with vertically integrated recycled paper mills and a national network of converting facilities. Directly comparable product overlap (custom corrugated boxes, retail displays) with IPS at significantly larger scale.
• Graphic Packaging Holding Company: Large paperboard packaging producer specializing in folding cartons, printed paperboard, and food/beverage packaging. Comparable to IPS's folding carton and retail packaging work but with national accounts and integrated paperboard mills.
• Sonoco Products Company: Diversified global packaging manufacturer with operations in paperboard, protective packaging, reels, and displays. Overlaps with IPS across reels/spools, industrial packaging, and retail display categories as a publicly traded incumbent.
• Uline: Nationally recognized packaging distributor offering shipping boxes, mailers, and industrial packaging supplies at scale with rapid fulfillment. Competes with IPS indirectly on standard corrugated SKUs and on speed/service expectations for B2B packaging buyers.

Direct peers

• Berlin Packaging: Hybrid packaging supplier combining rigid and paper-based packaging distribution with custom design and value-added services. Comparable business model to IPS's custom packaging plus fulfillment approach, with a similar mix of mid-market and enterprise customers.
• TricorBraun: Large packaging distributor with custom design, sourcing, and supply-chain services across rigid, flexible, and paper-based packaging. Comparable custom solutions focus and customer-engagement model to IPS, with broader scale.
• The BoxMaker: Regional custom corrugated and point-of-purchase display manufacturer serving the Pacific Northwest and broader U.S. market. Closely comparable to IPS in size, product mix (custom corrugated, displays, e-commerce packaging), and customer engagement model.
• Jamestown Container Companies: Family-owned regional corrugated packaging manufacturer with custom design and converting capabilities across the U.S. Northeast and Midwest. Highly comparable in scale, ownership structure, and product focus to IPS as a regional custom corrugated player.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ips_3

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 Innovative Packaging Solutions