Emmerson Packaging

What Emmerson Packaging does

Emmerson Packaging is a family-owned Canadian flexographic printer and flexible packaging manufacturer, incorporated in 1956 as Poly Cello Bags Limited in Saint John, New Brunswick, and now headquartered in Amherst, Nova Scotia. The company produces custom flexible packaging — including rollstock, premade pouches (stand-up, polybags, box, and quad seal), and its proprietary Inno-Lok® pre-applied resealable closures — for consumer packaged goods brands across Canada and the United States. Underlying technology is vertically integrated: in-house polyethylene film extrusion, HD flexographic printing at 4000 DPI with up to 175 LPI ink laydown, ESKO HD plate making, lamination, slitting, and converting, all concentrated at the Amherst facility, with a converting center in Belleville, Ontario.

The product portfolio spans high-barrier multi-layer films, microwaveable and boil-in-bag films, and a sustainable films family anchored by the SmartLam recyclable PE/PE laminate (101M+ units produced since 2019), along with PCR/PIR recycled content and bio-based sugarcane and starch resins. Specialized sub-brands include Micropak™ microwaveable films and PetVent™ patented vented patches for pet food. The company serves five primary verticals: pet food, frozen food, pantry essentials/snacks, towel/tissue/personal care, and specialty products. Supporting services include Project Central launch coordination, the Rapid Response Offer for compressed timelines, multi-location warehousing (Oregon, Indiana, Ontario, Nova Scotia), Vendor Managed Inventory, and the Compass customer portal.

Commercially, Emmerson operates a direct enterprise field-sales and inside-sales model targeting mid-market and enterprise CPG customers, with custom quote-based pricing, minimum order quantities of 10,000–30,000 pieces per SKU, and multi-year contracts carrying annual impression commitments of 1M–10M units. The firm is privately held under multi-generational family ownership (founded by Philip Emmerson, with second-generation leadership under John Emmerson from 1968), employs 300+ people as of 2025, and reports no external funding rounds. It is SGP-certified (since 2011), SQF Edition 9 / GFSI-compliant at both manufacturing sites, ISO 14001 certified (first flexographic printer in North America to adopt), FDA-approved for food contact, and a Platinum Club member of Canada's Best Managed Companies.

Name

Emmerson Packaging

Legal name

Emmerson Packaging

Website

https://emmersonpackaging.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1956

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Emmerson Packaging is a family-owned Canadian flexographic printer, founded in 1956, that manufactures custom flexible packaging — rollstock, premade pouches, and Inno-Lok® resealable closures — for consumer packaged goods brands across North America through vertically integrated HD printing and film extrusion operations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Flexible Packaging

NAICS

Plastics Bag and Pouch Manufacturing (326111), Plastics Packaging Film and Sheet (including Laminated) Manufacturing (326112), Plastics Packaging Materials and Unlaminated Film and Sheet Manufacturing (32611)

SIC

Plastics, Foil & Coated Paper Bags (2673), Unsupported Plastics Film & Sheet (3081), Coating, Engraving & Allied Services (3470)

akta.pro primary industry

Flexible Plastic Packaging (Bags, Pouches, Sachets) Manufacturing (IMANAEAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Lidding, Sealant & Packaging Webs (Heat-Seal, Peelable, Retort Lids) (IMALABAG)

Keywords

• Flexible packaging manufacturing
• Custom rollstock films
• Premade stand up pouches
• Resealable closure packaging
• Sustainable packaging solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint-remi-d'amherst

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Custom Flexible Packaging Manufacturing: Emmerson Packaging generates revenue through the manufacture and sale of custom flexible packaging products, including rollstock, premade pouches, and Inno-Lok® resealable closures. Pricing is based on order volume, with minimum order quantities per SKU and annual impression commitments required. The company also generates revenue from ancillary services including warehousing, Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI), and launch/project coordination support.
2. Warehousing and Inventory Management Services: Revenue is generated through warehousing services that place inventory near customers' operations, as well as Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) programs where Emmerson proactively maintains and replenishes customer inventory. These services generate volume discount and storage-related revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Emmerson Packaging manufactures and sells custom flexible packaging products, including rollstock (films for form-fill-seal machines), premade pouches (stand-up, box, quad seal, polybags), and the proprietary Inno-Lok® pre-applied resealable closures. The company operates vertically integrated HD flexographic printing, film extrusion, lamination, slitting, and converting, and supplies consumer packaged goods (CPG) brands across North America with conventional, recycle-ready, PCR/PIR, and bio-based packaging films.

Product overview

Emmerson Packaging offers a comprehensive flexible packaging portfolio centered on three core products: Rollstock (flexible film on rolls), Premade Pouches (pre-formed stand-up pouches, polybags, box pouches, and quad seal bags), and Inno-Lok® (pre-applied resealable closures). These are complemented by specialized materials including SmartLam recycle-ready films, PCR/PIR recycled content, and bio-based sugarcane and starch resins. The company provides supporting services including Project Central launch support, Rapid Response Offer for tight deadlines, Warehousing Services with multi-location inventory placement, and Vendor Managed Inventory. Digital tools include the Compass Customer Portal. The offering is sold primarily to food, pet food, frozen food, and consumer goods brands requiring high-volume flexible packaging across North America.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SmartLam: High-performance, recyclable family of films developed to replace the aesthetic and function of PET. Available in matte, gloss, satin and spot gloss finishes.
• MicroPak
• PetVent
• Inno-Lok
• SmartPack

Products and services

• Rollstock High-performance flexible packaging film supplied in rolls for use on form-fill-seal machines, available in surface print, reverse print, laminated, microwaveable, boil-in-bag, and ovenable variants. Used by CPG brands running high-volume filling operations.
• Premade Pouches Pre-formed flexible packaging pouches including stand-up pouches, polybags, box pouches, and quad seal bags for retail products requiring premium shelf presence and consumer convenience. Sold to CPG brands across pet food, frozen food, snacks, and pantry categories.
• Inno-Lok® Pre-Applied Resealable Closures Proprietary pre-applied resealable closure technology for rollstock packaging, available in front panel PTC, bag top PTC, and 360 Sensory PTC configurations. Designed for consumer convenience without requiring equipment upgrades on form-fill-seal lines.
• SmartLam Recycle-Ready Films High-performance, recyclable PE/PE laminate family designed to replace PET aesthetics and function with low seal temperatures, strong seals, available in matte, gloss, satin, and spot gloss finishes. Used in recycle-ready stand-up pouches since 2019.
• Micropak™ Microwaveable Films Microwaveable film laminates designed to be food-safe and withstand high heat without distorting or melting, with precise venting already incorporated. Used for food packaging requiring microwave reheating.
• PetVent™ Vented Patch Technology Patented vented patch technology for pet food packaging that protects products at high risk for infestation by keeping freshness in and insects out. Integrated into pet food pouches and rollstock.
• Sustainable Resin Materials (PCR, PIR, Bio-Based) Recycled and bio-based material options including FDA-approved Post-Consumer Resin (PCR), Post-Industrial Resin (PIR), sugarcane-based green polyethylene resin, and starch-based materials blended into conventional films to support sustainability mandates.
• Project Central Launch and Ongoing Support Dedicated project coordination service providing product launch support, sustainability planning, packaging design optimization, virtual press approvals, and on-site technical support. Backed by a New Product Launch Guarantee with penalty fees if Emmerson misses a launch date.
• Rapid Response Offer (RRO) Project management program for managing packaging projects with shorter lead times, providing dedicated RRO coordinators for rapid turnaround from kickoff to sign-off.
• Warehousing Services Strategic inventory placement across warehouses in Oregon, Indiana, Ontario, and Nova Scotia with scheduled releases, on-demand pulls, and optional Vendor Managed Inventory support. Reduces lead-time risk and stockouts for North American customers.
• Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) Inventory management system allowing Emmerson's team to analyze customer data and proactively maintain and replenish customer inventory levels for improved supply chain management.
• Compass Customer Portal Online customer portal for placing orders, accessing status reports, and viewing item specifications. Used by existing customers to manage ongoing packaging programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 98+% on-time delivery rate with rock-solid New Product Launch Guarantee — penalty fee if launch date is missed due to Emmerson's fault
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Flexographic Technical Association (FTA)minorOthersFTA is a nonprofit educational and scientific organization that serves to promote and support the flexographic industry. Emmerson is a member. FTA holds various events, publishes flexographic resources, awards scholarships, and recognizes outstanding flexographic innovations.
• How2Recycle®coreOthersHow2Recycle is a standardized labeling system that reduces consumer confusion by clearly communicating recycling instructions. Being a How2Recycle member improves the reliability, completeness, and transparency of recyclability claims. Emmerson helps customers navigate How2Recycle certification and labelling processes.
• Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC)coreOthersThe SPC is a membership-based collaborative that believes in the power of industry to make packaging more sustainable. They are the leading voice on sustainable packaging and are passionate about creating packaging that is good for people and the environment.
• Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME)minorOthersCME is the voice of the manufacturing and exporting industry in Canada, run by manufacturers for manufacturers with numerous resources and programs available to help Canadian manufacturing businesses grow.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• ProAmpac: ProAmpac is a leading North American flexible packaging converter offering rollstock, pouches, and sustainable films to CPG brands. It is the closest direct peer to Emmerson, competing head-to-head in pet food, frozen food, and snacks with comparable product breadth and sustainability positioning.
• Printpack: Printpack is a privately held, North American flexible and rigid packaging converter focused on food, beverage, and consumer goods markets. Comparable to Emmerson in vertical integration, mid-market CPG customer base, and emphasis on differentiated film structures.
• Glenroy: Glenroy is a converter specializing in flexible packaging for food, beverage, personal care, and household products, with proprietary pouch and film technologies. Similar to Emmerson in scale, customer mix, and emphasis on custom-engineered sustainable structures.
• Constantia Flexibles: Constantia Flexibles is one of the world's largest manufacturers of flexible packaging, focused on food, beverage, and pharma end markets. Directly comparable to Emmerson in product mix (films, laminates, pouches) with emphasis on sustainable structures.
• Clondalkin Flexible Packaging (now Catacflex / Wentus): Clondalkin Flexible Packaging produces high-barrier films, pouches, and laminates for food, beverage, and personal care markets globally. Comparable mid-to-large scale converter competing with Emmerson on similar CPG applications and sustainability-driven product development.

Broad incumbents

• Amcor: Amcor is a global packaging giant with a large flexible packaging division serving food, beverage, healthcare, and personal care end markets. Competes with Emmerson on enterprise CPG RFPs but operates at materially greater scale, with global procurement and R&D advantages.
• Sealed Air: Sealed Air is a global packaging and food safety company with significant flexible packaging operations including Cryovac brand films. Overlaps with Emmerson in food-contact films and barrier structures but spans protective packaging, food safety, and automated systems broadly.
• Sonoco Products: Sonoco is a diversified global packaging manufacturer with flexible and rigid packaging serving CPG, food, and industrial markets. Comparable to Emmerson in serving CPG customers with flexible packaging but operates across multiple substrate categories at much larger scale.
• Mondi: Mondi is a European-headquartered global packaging and paper group with significant flexible packaging operations serving CPG customers. Competes in similar end markets to Emmerson and is a notable presence in North American flexible packaging through acquisitions.

Regional players

• Winpak Ltd. Winpak is a Canadian-headquartered manufacturer of high-quality packaging materials and specialty films for food, beverage, and healthcare applications. North American focus and comparable product mix in films and pouches make it a relevant regional competitor to Emmerson.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/EmmersonPkging

Compliance8 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 Emmerson Packaging