What Forward Plastics does

Forward Plastics Limited is a privately held New Zealand plastics manufacturer headquartered in East Tamaki, Auckland, founded in 1998 and operating with 11-50 employees. The company specialises in extrusion blow moulding of PET and HDPE plastic packaging and serves manufacturers, contract packers, and distributors across the FMCG, food and beverage, nutraceutical, chemical/industrial, and cosmetic and personal care sectors. Its product portfolio includes custom blow moulded proprietary bottles and containers, a stock mould library of bottles/jars/containers, UN-rated 5L and 20L jerry cans certified for Dangerous Goods transport (Packaging Groups II and III), cosmetic tubes/pumps/jars/bottles, and a comprehensive range of caps, closures, pumps and sprayers.

The company's underlying technology centres on modern multi-head co-extrusion blow moulding equipment combined with injection moulding for closures and complementary components. Multi-layer co-extrusion enables a sandwich construction in which 100% post-consumer recycled HDPE - sourced from New Zealand curbside-collected milk bottles - is placed in middle layers while virgin or bio-based outer layers preserve top-load strength and surface finish. Forward Plastics has reprocessed over 3.3 million kilograms of NZ curbside milk bottles since 2018, incorporates up to 50% post-industrial recycled resin in standard production, and offers products with up to 100% PCR HDPE or Braskem I'm Green Bio-Based HDPE (sugarcane-derived) content. The firm holds ISO 9001, ISO 14001, food-contact compliance, and UN Dangerous Goods certifications.

Forward Plastics generates revenue primarily through direct B2B sales of plastic packaging on a quote-based pricing model, with terms requiring payment by the 20th of the month following invoice and 30-day price validity. Distribution is domestic New Zealand via direct supply and ex-stock availability for standard jerry cans (270 units per pallet for 5L, 96 per pallet for 20L). The company augments hardware sales with a free Return for Recycling Programme that takes back used Forward Plastics containers for recycling through partners (PACT Recycling, Hayes Metals, Simms Metals) or in-house, supporting closed-loop product stewardship for customers. Go-to-market is sales-led through direct outreach, industry trade shows (Foodtech/Packtech), content marketing on sustainable packaging topics, and an active Facebook presence under a 'Customers First' philosophy. No funding rounds, M&A activity, or international operating geographies are disclosed; ownership is private and founder/management-driven with no identified parent entity or institutional investor.

Name

Forward Plastics

Legal name

Forward Plastics Ltd

Website

https://forwardplastics.co.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Forward Plastics Limited is a New Zealand-owned, Auckland-based extrusion blow moulding manufacturer of PET and HDPE packaging, supplying custom and stock mould bottles, jerry cans, cosmetic packaging, and closures to FMCG, food, nutraceutical, chemical, and personal care brands, with a circular-economy focus on PCR and bio-based resins.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Plastic Packaging Manufacturing

NAICS

Plastics Bottle Manufacturing (326160)

SIC

Plastics Products, Nec (3089)

akta.pro primary industry

HDPE Bottles & Jugs (IMALAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

PET Bottles & Preforms (IMALAAAA), Extrusion Blow-Molded Containers (HDPE/PET Bottles & Jugs) (IMANAGAA), Recycled-Content Plastic Packaging (rPET, rHDPE, rPP) (IMALAMAC)

Keywords

• Plastic packaging manufacturing
• Custom blow moulding
• Recycled HDPE containers
• Dangerous goods jerry cans
• Sustainable packaging solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

East Tamaki

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Plastic Packaging Product Sales: Forward Plastics generates revenue through the manufacture and sale of plastic packaging products including custom blow moulded bottles and containers, stock mould bottles/jars/containers, jerry cans (5L and 20L), and closures (caps, closures, pumps, sprayers). Products are sold directly to manufacturers, contract packers, and distributors on a quote-based pricing model.
2. Return for Recycling Programme: Forward Plastics offers a free Return for Recycling Programme where they pick up used Forward Plastics-made/supplied containers from customers for recycling at their recycling partners or in-house. This supports customer product stewardship programs while creating a closed-loop circular economy model.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Forward Plastics manufactures and supplies custom and stock plastic packaging products using PET and HDPE resins. Its product line includes bespoke blow-moulded proprietary bottles and containers, stock mould bottles/jars/containers, 5L and 20L UN-rated jerry cans for Dangerous Goods, cosmetic tubes/pumps/jars/bottles, and caps/closures/pumps/sprayers, with sustainable variants including PCR HDPE from New Zealand curbside milk bottles and Braskem I'm Green bio-based HDPE.

Product overview

Forward Plastics is a New Zealand-owned plastics manufacturer specializing in extrusion blow moulding. The company offers a portfolio of packaging solutions comprising custom blow moulded proprietary bottles and containers, stock mould bottles/jars/containers, 5L and 20L DG-rated jerry cans, cosmetic tubes/pumps/jars/bottles, and caps/closures/pumps/sprayers. The product line spans core packaging products (custom containers, stock mould containers, jerry cans, cosmetic packaging, closures) and sustainable material variants including Post-Consumer Recycled (PCR) HDPE from New Zealand milk bottles, Bio-Based HDPE using Braskem's I'm Green sugarcane resin, and Multi-Layer Co-Extrusion containers combining recycled cores with virgin outer layers. The company also provides a Return for Recycling Programme for container recovery.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Custom Plastic Containers (Bespoke Proprietary Bottles & Containers) Bespoke blow-moulded bottles and containers designed to customer specification, with rapid prototyping and tooling capabilities for proprietary packaging solutions. Targeted at NZ manufacturers and brand owners across FMCG, food, cosmetic, and chemical sectors.
• Stock Mould Plastic Containers (Bottles, Jars & Containers) Pre-designed bottles, jars, and containers drawn from an existing stock mould library, offering cost-effective and fast-turnaround packaging options. Targeted at NZ manufacturers and brand owners needing off-the-shelf solutions.
• 5L Jerry Cans UN-rated 5-litre HDPE jerry cans certified for Dangerous Goods transport (Packaging Groups II and III), suitable for chemical, cleaning, industrial, and food applications. Available ex-stock with fast delivery.
• 20L Jerry Cans UN-rated 20-litre HDPE jerry cans built for heavy-duty industrial use, DG certified for Packaging Groups II and III with various closure options including tap dispensing.
• Cosmetic Tubes, Pumps, Jars & Bottles Plastic packaging solutions for cosmetics and personal care products, including custom and stock options with various dispensing systems, designed for visual brand differentiation on shelf.
• Caps, Closures, Pumps & Sprayers Comprehensive range of closure solutions including continuous thread caps, trigger sprayers, pump dispensers, child-resistant, tamper-evident, vented, flip top, disc top, foaming pumps, and lotion pumps.
• Bio-Based HDPE Packaging (Sugarcane Plastic) Sustainable packaging manufactured from Braskem's I'm Green bio-based HDPE made from sugarcane ethanol, offering renewable and recyclable alternatives to fossil-fuel plastics with up to 100% bio-resin content.
• Post-Consumer Recycled (PCR) HDPE Packaging Packaging made from New Zealand kerbside-collected milk bottles reprocessed into high-quality PCR resin, supporting circular economy outcomes with up to 100% PCR HDPE content available.
• Multi-Layer Co-Extrusion Containers Multi-layered plastic containers with recycled material in middle layers, combining post-consumer recycled HDPE with virgin outer layers for strength, chemical resistance, and surface finish. Bottles are fully recyclable.
• Return for Recycling Programme Free container take-back programme collecting used Forward Plastics containers from customers for recycling through recycling partners or in-house processing, supporting customer product stewardship programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 3.3 million kilograms of NZ curbside recycled milk bottles repurposed into packaging since 2018
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers17 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BraskemcoreTechnology or IntegrationForward Plastics uses Braskem's I'm Green™ Bio-Based HDPE resin to manufacture sustainable packaging. Braskem is a Brazilian petrochemical company that produces bio-based polyethylene from sugarcane ethanol. This partnership enables Forward Plastics to offer sugar plastic packaging with up to 100% bio-resin content, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and supporting corporate sustainability goals.
• Packaging ForumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerForward Plastics supports the Packaging Forum's Caps & Lids Recycling Programme, a nationwide initiative designed to divert caps and lids from landfill back into the circular economy. The programme is 100% industry-funded and creates a clear route for cap and lid recovery since they were excluded from kerbside recycling from 1 February 2024.
• PACT RecyclingminorOthersPACT Recycling collects, granulates, washes and dries plastic caps and lids in Auckland before they are sent to Australia for sorting and processing into new products such as flowerpots, wheelie bins and cable covers.
• Hayes MetalsminorOthersHayes Metals is a local New Zealand partner that recycles metal caps as part of the Packaging Forum's Caps & Lids Recycling Programme.
• Simms MetalsminorOthersSimms Metals is a local New Zealand partner that recycles metal caps as part of the Packaging Forum's Caps & Lids Recycling Programme.
• Waste-Ed with Kate (Kate Fenwick)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerForward Plastics is proud to support Waste-Ed with Kate, a plastics recycling video series created by recycling educator Kate Fenwick in partnership with Plastics NZ. The series helps New Zealand households understand how plastics recycling works, what can and can't be recycled, and why it matters. The June series covers commonly recycled plastics including #1 PET, #2 HDPE, and #5 PP.
• Plastics NZminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPlastics NZ partnered with recycling educator Kate Fenwick to create the Waste-Ed with Kate video series. Forward Plastics supports this educational initiative that aims to improve recycling outcomes across New Zealand.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Silgan Holdings: US-listed global manufacturer of rigid packaging including plastic and metal containers, dispensing closures, and specialty containers. Broad incumbent with overlapping closures and rigid container product lines serving similar FMCG and personal care customers as Forward Plastics.
• ALPLA Werke Lehner: Austrian-headquartered privately held global blow moulder with extensive rigid plastic packaging operations across multiple continents. Broad incumbent specialising in the same blow moulded bottle/jerry can product categories as Forward Plastics, with significant PCR/HDPE sustainability programmes of its own.
• Amcor plc: Global packaging company with rigid plastics and flexible packaging operations serving FMCG, food, and healthcare customers. Broad incumbent that competes with Forward Plastics in rigid plastic bottles and containers, particularly for FMCG brand owners with sustainability commitments.
• Sealed Air Corporation: Global packaging company with protective, food, and industrial packaging lines. Broad incumbent with overlapping industrial jerry can and rigid container segments relevant to Forward Plastics' chemical and industrial customers.
• Berry Global Group: Global plastic packaging giant with extensive blow moulded bottle and container portfolios serving FMCG, personal care, and industrial markets. Compares as a broad incumbent with overlapping end-products but vastly larger scale and broader geographic reach than Forward Plastics.
• Curver: European plastics housewares and rigid packaging manufacturer owned by Solidus Solutions. Broad incumbent with comparable moulded plastic container products for household and consumer markets, though primarily European-focused and not a direct competitor in NZ.

Emerging players

• BioPak: Australia/New Zealand-based sustainable packaging company focused on compostable and bio-based food service and consumer packaging. Emerging player with similar sustainability-led value proposition, though primarily focused on fibre-based rather than rigid plastic packaging.

Direct peers

• Pact Group Holdings: ASX-listed Australian packaging manufacturer with extensive extrusion blow moulding, rigid plastics, and recycling operations across Australia/New Zealand. Closest direct peer given overlapping product categories (bottles, jerry cans, containers), materials focus (PCR/HDPE), and Trans-Tasman geographic overlap.

Regional players

• Viscount Plastics: New Zealand-based plastics manufacturer producing rigid plastic containers for industrial and commercial customers. Regional competitor with overlapping jerry can and bulk container product categories within the NZ market.
• Plaspak (NZ): New Zealand plastics manufacturer producing rigid containers and packaging for similar food, chemical, and industrial end markets. Regional player with comparable product mix in the NZ market though lacking the sustainability material story.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Forward.Plastics
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/forward-plastics-limited-nz

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Forward Plastics