What Corex Group does

Corex Group is the cores, tubes, consumer packaging, and edge protectors division of Belgian privately-held VPK Group NV. Founded under the Corex brand in 2006 through the consolidation of ten VPK Packaging Group core companies, Corex today operates 29 companies across 15 countries in Europe and Asia, employing approximately 1,300 people and producing around 300,000 tonnes of product annually across four paper mills and 29 processing sites. Its core product portfolio comprises spiral wound and parallel/convolute wound paper tubes and cores (diameters up to 635 mm, lengths up to 12,000 mm), edge protectors, coreboard, greyboard, and composite-can consumer packaging — all manufactured from 100% recycled paper and supported by Core Audit™, a proprietary process-optimisation methodology.

The company's go-to-market is direct enterprise field sales from local production sites, with no disclosed pricing model beyond quote-based custom pricing driven by specifications, volume, and finishes. Corex serves a broad horizontal set of industrial end-markets including tissue and towelling, textiles (woven, non-woven, yarns and fibres), films and foils, metals, photography and medical imaging, and consumer goods packaging. Significant certifications — ISO 9001/14001/22000/45001, FSC, and BRCGS at the Wierden consumer packaging facility — qualify the business for food-contact and sustainability-audited supply chains.

Corex has scaled primarily through acquisition, with major transactions including the 2019 VPK Group acquisition of Corenso's European and Chinese businesses (€170 million turnover, 2 coreboard mills, 13 core plants), the 2021 Topcore acquisition in Finland, and the 2023 Arteche Paper acquisition in Portugal and Spain (€65 million revenue, 1 coreboard mill, 5 converting units). Post-2019, the division was reported at €260 million, representing 16% of VPK Group turnover, with consumer packaging positioned as the higher-margin growth vector via the Wierden plant (15 million cans annually) and acquired capabilities.

Name

Corex Group

Legal name

Corex Group (division of VPK Group NV)

Website

https://corexgroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Corex Group, the cores, tubes, edge protectors, and consumer packaging division of Belgian VPK Group, manufactures paper-based industrial cores and packaging across 29 production sites in 15 countries, serving tissue, textile, film, metals, and consumer goods customers with approximately 300,000 tonnes of annual capacity.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Paper Packaging

NAICS

Paper Mills (32212), Paperboard Mills (322130), Other Paperboard Container Manufacturing (322219), Converted Paper Product Manufacturing (3222), Paper Manufacturing (322)

SIC

Paper Mills (2621), Paperboard Mills (2631), Paperboard Containers & Boxes (2650), Papers & Allied Products (2600)

akta.pro primary industry

Paperboard Cores, Tubes & Edge Protectors (IMALACAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Recycled Paperboard & Containerboard (IMAMAKAG), Protective Paper Packaging (Honeycomb, Paper Cushioning, Paper Wrap) (IMALACAH)

Keywords

• Industrial paper cores
• Spiral wound tubes
• Edge protectors manufacturing
• Consumer composite cans
• Coreboard production

Headquarters

HQ city

Aalst

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices33 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Paper Cores and Tubes Manufacturing: Corex manufactures and sells spiral wound and parallel wound paper tubes and cores used for winding paper, film, textiles, metals, and various packaging materials. Revenue is generated through product sales with pricing based on specifications, volume, and customization requirements.
2. Edge Protectors: Production and sale of cardboard edge protectors for industrial packaging applications. Products are customized based on customer requirements for dimensions, printing, and special finishes.
3. Coreboard and Greyboard: Manufacture and supply of coreboard to core and tube manufacturers in various industries. Corex operates paper mills in Finland and France producing board for internal use and external sales.
4. Consumer Packaging: Production of composite cans and consumer packaging applications for foods, cosmetics, fashion, and electronics. The Wierden facility can produce 15 million cans annually with various closure solutions.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Corex Group manufactures spiral wound and parallel wound paper tubes, cores, edge protectors, coreboard, greyboard, and consumer packaging (composite cans) made from 100% recycled paper. Operating 29 production sites across 15 countries with four integrated paper mills, the company produces approximately 300,000 tonnes annually for industrial customers winding paper, film, textiles, metals, and other materials.

Product overview

Corex Group is a manufacturer of paper-based industrial packaging and cores, operating as the cores, tubes, and edge protectors division of VPK Group. The product portfolio includes six core product lines: Spiral Wound Tubes and Cores (diameters up to 635mm, lengths to 12,000mm), Parallel or Convolute Wound Tubes (for textiles and floor coverings), Coreboard and Greyboard (paper mill products for various grades), Edge Protectors (customizable cardboard protectors), and Consumer Packaging (tubular packaging and composite cans for food, cosmetics, and other products). The company operates 29 production sites across 15 countries, producing approximately 300,000 tonnes annually. Core Audit is a proprietary value-added service offering process optimization. Special finishes include smooth outer surface, embossing, printing, and self-adhesive options.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Core Audit™: A structured optimization methodology that analyzes customer needs and processes to deliver tailored core solutions. Includes data gathering, brainstorming, implementation, and continuous improvement.
• Corexconsumerpackaging.com

Products and services

• Spiral Wound Tubes and Cores Complete range of spiral wound cardboard tubes and cores for diverse industrial applications including diameters up to 635 mm, wall thicknesses of 1 to over 20 mm, and lengths up to 12,000 mm. Used for winding paper, film, flexible packaging, textiles, metals, photographic materials, labels, and tape.
• Parallel or Convolute Wound Tubes Market-leading tubes characterized by excellent strength over their length, primarily used for coiling textiles, non-woven articles, and floor coverings. Available with or without flap, diameters from 30 to 120 mm, lengths up to 5,200 mm, and wall thicknesses from 2 to 10 mm.
• Coreboard Superior-quality coreboard for core and tube manufacturers covering the entire grade range from lowest ply bond grade to strongest coreboard grades. Used in lightweight cores for tissue paper, aluminium foil, fibreglass, plastic foil, tape label, and heavy-duty cores for paper, board, textile, and yarn applications.
• Greyboard High-quality greyboard used in retail packaging, point of sale displays, edge protectors, flatboard, boxes, magazine files, solid board packaging, lineboard for corrugated packaging, writing pads, separator sheets, and laminating applications.
• Edge Protectors Extensive range of edge protectors offering optimum protection for goods during transport and storage. Fully customizable dimensions including wings from 33x33 mm to 100x100 mm, thickness 2-7 mm, length 50-7,000 mm. Available with printing, self-adhesive tape, and water-repellent options.
• Consumer Packaging

Quantifiable outcome

• 300,000 tonnes annual production capacity across 29 companies
• +3 more outcomes

Segments10 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Arteche PapercoreOthers · 20 February 2023Corex acquired Arteche Paper, a leading player in the production of coreboard, cores and edge protectors in the Iberian market. This added a coreboard mill in Porto with 70,000 tons capacity and five converting units with 60,000 tons combined capacity generating €65 million in revenue.
• TopcorecoreOthers · 4 August 2021Corex Finland Oy completed acquisition of Topcore, a well-established Finnish core converter with 35 years of experience serving customers in paper and flexible packaging segments. Strengthened network in Nordic region with five converting facilities and one coreboard mill.
• CorensocoreOthers · 8 May 2019VPK Packaging Group acquired Corenso's European and Chinese businesses, consisting of two coreboard mills and 13 core converting plants. Combined turnover was €170 million with 850 employees. This created a €260 million core and tube division.
• VPK GroupcoreOthersCorex is the cores, tubes, consumer packaging and edge protectors division of VPK Group, a rapidly growing integrated industrial group operating in the cardboard packaging sector with around 6400 staff across 70 plants in 20 European countries.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves24 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Mondi Group: European paper and packaging major with integrated pulp, containerboard, and corrugated operations. Comparable as a large European paper-based packaging incumbent whose packaging customers overlap with Corex's end-markets.
• Smurfit Kappa Group: Global containerboard and corrugated packaging leader with significant European manufacturing footprint. Comparable as a broad paper-based packaging incumbent and potential competitor for sustainable packaging customers.
• VPK Group NV: Corex's parent company and Belgian integrated cardboard packaging group with ~70 plants, ~6,400 staff, and €1.6B+ revenue. Overlaps via parent operations in containerboard, corrugated, and solid board that consume Corex-produced cores internally.
• Mayr-Melnhof Karton AG: European recycled folding boxboard and kraft paper producer. Comparable as a paperboard manufacturer serving packaging converters in overlapping end-markets.

Direct peers

• Sonoco Products Company: Global packaging conglomerate with a Paper Cores & Tubes segment producing spiral and convolute wound paper cores for textiles, film, tape, and paper mills. Closest direct comparable to Corex in product mix, customer base, and global manufacturing footprint.
• Greif Inc: Industrial packaging leader with a Paper Packaging & Services segment that produces containerboard, tubes and cores, and protective packaging. Directly competes with Corex in paper cores and edge/corner protection across Europe and globally.
• CanCore Concepts: North American-focused manufacturer of spiral and parallel wound paper cores, edge protectors, and related packaging products serving tissue, converting, and industrial customers.

Regional players

• Stora Enso Oyj: Nordic-based renewable packaging materials company with paperboard mills (Imatra, Finland is co-located with a Corex plant) and consumer board offerings. Comparable as a Nordic paperboard supplier and Corex co-located partner.

Emerging players

• Cascades Inc. North American recycled-based packaging and tissue products company with containerboard, specialty products, and tissue operations. Comparable in recycled-fiber packaging positioning and converting capabilities.
• Pactiv Evergreen (paper operations) / Sabert Corporation: Sabert is a manufacturer of sustainable food packaging including composite and fiber-based canisters, comparable to Corex's consumer-packaging composite-can product line targeting food and cosmetics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/corexholding

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries33 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 Corex Group