Balance

What Balance does

Balance, Inc. is a privately held, founder-owned luxury packaging company founded in 2000 by Susan and Frank McDermott and headquartered in Danbury, Connecticut. It designs and manufactures premium and sustainable packaging for prestige beauty, color cosmetics, and consumer goods brands, serving enterprise clients that include Estee Lauder, Tom Ford, MAC Cosmetics, Fenty Beauty, Glossier, Victoria's Secret, and Disney across custom compacts, PR mailers, holiday packaging, folding cartons, and licensed character programs.

The company's product portfolio centers on luxury packaging design and production, supplemented by managed Logistics & Fulfillment Services (warehousing and distribution) and a dedicated Sustainable Packaging Solutions line organized under the proprietary BALANCE Green Standard framework. Technical capabilities include film-free recyclable foils, custom holographic patterns, recyclable glitter and pearl papers, bamboo and sugarcane molded fiber, coatings that replace lamination, magnet-free knockdowns, separable constructions, and custom surface textures, validated by third-party re-pulpability testing through SGS, Lucense, and WMU. Balance holds EcoVadis Platinum (2025), FSC Chain of Custody, and WBENC Women-Owned Business certifications, and won the 2021 Luxe Pack In-Green Competition.

Commercially, Balance operates a B2B enterprise field sales model with quote-based, project-level pricing and no publicly disclosed price list. It serves its customers through a four-office transpacific footprint spanning Danbury, New York, Los Angeles, and Dongguan, China, executing deals in over 10 countries. Go-to-market combines direct enterprise relationships with industry trade show presence (Luxe Pack) and earned media in Beauty Packaging and Global Cosmetic Industry. Revenue is generated primarily through one-time custom packaging programs with managed services recurring revenue layered on through fulfillment.

Name

Balance

Legal name

Balance, Inc.

Website

https://balanceink.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Balance, Inc. is a privately held luxury packaging designer and manufacturer founded in 2000, serving prestige beauty and consumer goods brands with sustainable, custom packaging and managed fulfillment across a four-office transpacific footprint.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Luxury Packaging Manufacturing

NAICS

Other Paperboard Container Manufacturing (322219), Paper Bag and Coated and Treated Paper Manufacturing (322220)

SIC

Paperboard Containers & Boxes (2650), Miscellaneous Plastics Products (3080)

akta.pro primary industry

Secondary & Gift Packaging (Folding Cartons, Sets, Rigid Boxes) (IMALAJAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sustainable Cosmetic Packaging (Refillable, PCR, Mono-material, Reusable) (IMALAJAM), Flexible Cosmetic Packaging (Pouches, Sachets, Stick Packs) (IMALAJAE), Sampling & Travel-Size Packaging (Minis, Vials, Blisters) (IMALAJAL)

Keywords

• Luxury packaging design
• Sustainable packaging materials
• Beauty packaging production
• Paper engineering services
• Custom packaging manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Danbury

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Packaging Design and Production Services: Core revenue stream from designing and manufacturing luxury packaging solutions for beauty and consumer goods brands. Services include concept development, material sourcing, production, and quality control.
2. Managed Fulfillment Services: Product fulfillment, warehousing, and distribution services offered as managed services to complement packaging solutions.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Balance designs, engineers, and manufactures luxury and sustainable packaging for beauty, cosmetics, and consumer goods brands. Offerings span the full concept-to-delivery lifecycle, including structural design, paper engineering, sustainable material sourcing (e.g., FSC-certified papers, bamboo/sugarcane fiber, film-free foils), production, and managed fulfillment and distribution.

Product overview

Balance is a luxury packaging company offering a comprehensive portfolio centered on design, innovation, and production of premium packaging. The core offering is Luxury Packaging Design & Production, supported by Logistics & Fulfillment Services for managed warehousing and distribution. The company specializes in Sustainable Packaging Solutions under its BALANCE Green Standard, including film-free recyclable materials, FSC-certified papers, and molded fiber options. Additional services include Packaging Innovation and Paper Engineering for custom constructions and textures. All offerings are delivered through offices in Danbury CT, New York NY, Los Angeles CA, and Dongguan China.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Luxury Packaging Design & Production
• Sustainable Packaging Solutions (BALANCE Green Standard)
• Logistics & Fulfillment Services
• Packaging Innovation & Paper Engineering Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Achieved EcoVadis Platinum status for sustainability performance
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature16 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• EcoVadiscoreOthersEcoVadis provides sustainability ratings and intelligence for global supply chains. Balance has achieved EcoVadis Platinum status, the highest rating, demonstrating leadership in environmental and social responsibility practices.
• Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)coreOthersFSC is an international non-profit organization that promotes responsible management of the world's forests. Balance holds FSC Chain of Custody Certification, verifying that products with FSC claims come from responsible sources.
• Sustainable Packaging CoalitionminorOthersThe Sustainable Packaging Coalition is an industry working group focused on sustainable packaging. Balance maintains membership, demonstrating commitment to industry sustainability standards.
• Luxe PackminorOthersLuxe Pack is the leading trade show for luxury packaging. Balance won the 2021 Luxe Pack In-Green Competition for sustainable packaging innovation.
• Beauty PackagingminorOthersIndustry publication covering beauty packaging news. Balance has been featured in Beauty Packaging magazine.
• Global Cosmetic Industry (GCI)minorOthersLeading industry publication for cosmetic packaging. Balance was featured in GCI magazine coverage of sustainable packaging.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Berlin Packaging: One of the largest hybrid packaging suppliers in North America offering rigid containers, closures, and design services across beauty, food, beverage, and personal care — broader incumbent with overlapping beauty packaging capability.
• TricorBraun: Large global packaging distributor and rigid container supplier serving beauty, personal care, food, and beverage — broader incumbent with overlapping beauty customer base and stock/custom hybrid offering.
• Graphic Packaging: Large US-based paperboard packaging manufacturer with folding carton and sustainable packaging solutions serving beauty, food, and beverage — broader incumbent with overlapping paperboard capability.
• Smurfit Kappa: Global paper-based packaging giant with significant folding carton, sustainable packaging, and beauty/cosmetics customer footprint — competes on the paperboard/folding carton side but at vastly greater scale.

Direct peers

• Diamond Packaging: Rochester, NY-based folding carton and rigid box manufacturer specializing in luxury cosmetics and beauty packaging with a strong sustainability focus — directly comparable to Balance in product category, customer base, and premium positioning.
• APC Packaging: Specialty beauty packaging supplier offering stock and custom cosmetic packaging solutions to indie and prestige beauty brands — directly comparable to Balance in target customer (beauty/cosmetics brands) and product mix.
• PakLab: Full-service contract manufacturer and packaging provider for beauty, personal care, and consumer goods with design, formulation, and fulfillment capabilities — directly comparable end-to-end service model.
• McLean Packaging Corporation: Specialty folding carton and printed paperboard packaging manufacturer serving cosmetics, beauty, and consumer products — comparable product format (paperboard/folding cartons) and customer verticals.
• Pollard Boxes: Specialty folding carton and rigid box manufacturer with focus on cosmetics, beauty, and premium consumer goods packaging — comparable format and customer vertical to Balance.

Regional players

• Hip Lik Packaging: Hong Kong-based luxury packaging manufacturer serving global beauty and premium consumer brands — comparable product category and customer base but primarily Asia-based.

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/BalanceInc
• Xtwitter.com/balanceinc
• Instagraminstagram.com/balanceinc
• Pinterestpinterest.com/balanceinc
• YouTubeyoutube.com/balanceinc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/balance-inc

Compliance6 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 Balance