What W MacCarthy & Sons does

W MacCarthy & Sons is a 145-year-old, 5th-generation family-owned bespoke packaging manufacturer based in Woolwich, London. The company produces made-to-order carton boxes, presentation packaging, slipcases, and wire-stitched boxes using paper-over-board and solid card construction techniques, combining hand-craftsmanship with semi-automated machinery. Core technical capabilities include in-house V-routing for sharp luxury edges, foil blocking (heat/pressure/dwell), calico-cloth hinged lid construction, and a four-option wire stitching system with multiple fold types (creased, scored, perforated score). Printing and finishing capabilities span foil blocking, debossing, litho, digital, and screen printing, with internal fitments produced via die cutting, routing, and water jet cutting.

The business operates a sales-led direct-to-customer model with phone/email engagement, online quote requests, and on-site factory visits at the Woolwich facility, serving the UK market exclusively. Revenue is generated from two streams: bespoke made-to-order manufacturing (minimum 50 units, lead times 2-6 weeks, quote-based pricing, with standard tooling reducing cost on 1000+ orders) and a smaller stock catalogue (wire stapled, photo, orthodontic, business card, A4 storage, and moving cartons). Pricing is published for stock items (£1.00-£4.50+VAT per unit) and bespoke pricing ranges from £100-150+VAT for one-off slipcases upward.

The customer base is fragmented across luxury goods and fashion brands (H.N. White, Otway and Orford, Ancienne Ambiance, Aethel), book publishers and private collectors, NHS orthodontic practices, dental/medical laboratories, photography studios, and archive/document storage buyers. The company differentiates through 145 years of brand equity, Made in Britain certification (2025), environmentally friendly materials with high recycled content, two generations of family members currently working in the business, and a workforce with extensive multi-decade tenure in traditional manufacturing techniques.

Name

W MacCarthy & Sons

Legal name

W. MacCarthy & Sons Ltd

Website

https://maccarthyandsons.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1880

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

W MacCarthy & Sons is a 5th-generation, family-owned London-based manufacturer producing bespoke paper-over-board presentation boxes, slipcases, and wire-stitched boxes for UK luxury brands, book collectors, dental/medical laboratories, and archive customers since 1880.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Custom Packaging Manufacturing

NAICS

Folding Paperboard Box Manufacturing (322212), Other Paperboard Container Manufacturing (322219)

SIC

Paperboard Containers & Boxes (2650)

akta.pro primary industry

Corrugated Packaging & Boxes (RSC, die-cut, bulk bins) (IMAMAHAA)

Keywords

• Bespoke packaging manufacturing
• Luxury presentation boxes
• Paper over board boxes
• Wire stitched boxes
• Custom slipcases

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Bespoke Packaging Manufacturing: Custom-made-to-order packaging manufactured in London factory. Every job is unique and produced to customer exact specifications. Includes presentation boxes, slipcases, wire stitched boxes, platforms and printed boxes. Pricing based on quantity, materials and printing techniques chosen.
2. Stock Boxes: Pre-manufactured boxes available for quick delivery including wire stapled boxes, photo boxes, business card boxes, orthodontic boxes, A4 document storage boxes, and moving house cartons. Sold at unit prices plus VAT.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

W MacCarthy & Sons is a London-based bespoke packaging manufacturer that produces custom-made-to-order paper over board presentation boxes, slipcases, wire stitched boxes, and printed packaging. The company serves luxury goods brands, book publishers, dental practices, and archive/document storage customers with both fully bespoke orders (minimum 50 units) and a small range of stock items. All manufacturing is done in-house at their Woolwich factory using traditional hand-crafted techniques combined with semi-automated machinery.

Product overview

W MacCarthy & Sons is a bespoke packaging manufacturer offering paper over board and wire stitched boxes. The core product lines include Presentation Boxes (tray & lid, hinged lid, shoulder styles), Slipcases (including drawer and match box variants), and Wire Stitched Boxes (for storage, archive, and product packaging). These are complemented by specialty products like Solander Boxes, Photo Boxes, Archive Boxes, and various retail-specific boxes for candles, fragrance, ties, knitwear, and pocket squares. The company also offers printing services (foil blocking, debossing, litho, digital, screen printing) and interior fitments (platforms, foam fittings). Products range from stock items with standard tooling to fully bespoke manufacturing, with a focus on environmentally friendly materials with high recycled content.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Presentation Boxes Paper over board presentation and gift boxes manufactured in the London factory. Available in tray & lid, hinged lid, and shoulder box styles with custom sizes, colours, and printing. Targets luxury brands needing premium packaging.
• Slipcases Hand-made rigid slipcases for presenting and protecting books, comics, CDs, and bottles. Made from solid board card covered with paper, featuring double thickness top and bottom for strength. Also includes drawer box variants with ribbon pull tabs.
• Wire Stitched Boxes Strong and robust boxes made from solid card with stapled corners, suitable for archiving, storage, and product packaging. Available in various card thicknesses with four wire options (0.8mm round galvanised, 0.8mm round brass, 2.5mm flat galvanised, 2.5mm flat dusty copper).
• Printed Boxes Custom branded packaging using various printing techniques including foil blocking, debossing, litho printing, digital printing, and screen printing. Standard foil colours include gloss white, black, silver, gold and satin gold.
• Solander Boxes Luxury boxes often used for collector edition books and important documents. Made from 3mm cardboard with V-routed trays that fold flat for easy access.
• Magnetic Closure Boxes Premium packaging featuring magnetic closures for luxury presentation boxes, providing a high-end opening and closing experience for premium product presentation.
• Photo Boxes Paper over board photo boxes available in 10x12 inch and 12x16 inch sizes, acid-free for protecting photos and prints. Available in white and black. Sold at £2.10+VAT for 200 boxes.
• Orthodontic Study Model Boxes Green orthodontic boxes with removable lid, 3 inner compartments, and label. Stock size 277x83x76mm, supplied to NHS and orthodontic practices. Minimum 50 boxes recommended in multiples of 25.
• Platforms and Foam Fittings Die cut card platforms and custom foam fittings designed to safely hold products in place within boxes. Platforms are die cut from flat card with cut-outs; foam can be die cut, routed, or water jet cut.
• Candle Boxes Bespoke presentation boxes for candles with tooling for 102x102x95mm size. Premium options include piped lids with hand-applied coloured squares and rectangles.
• Fragrance Boxes Bespoke luxury gift boxes for fragrance and perfume bottles, fully custom in size, paper covering, and printing.
• Tie Boxes Stunning bespoke presentation boxes for ties with tooling for 390x120x25mm size and custom paper covering options. Used by luxury menswear brands such as H.N. White.
• Pocket Square Boxes Bespoke luxury boxes for pocket squares with tooling for 120x120x15mm size, custom paper covering and printing available. Used by luxury fashion brands such as Otway and Orford.
• Knitwear Boxes Bespoke presentation boxes for luxury knitwear items. Tooling available for 322x252x86mm size with custom paper covering and printing options. Used by brands such as Aethel for cashmere and wool garments.
• Archive Boxes Wire stitched archive boxes made from pH neutral, acid-free double kraft lined cardboard. Available in 1300 and 1800 microns for regular archiving of documents, photos and valuable materials.
• File Boxes Made-to-measure wire stitched file boxes in various sizes from small A5 to extra large with carry handles, using double kraft lined cardboard for archival-quality document storage.
• Lab Boxes Custom boxes made in all shapes and sizes for laboratory equipment, moulds, and files. Available in paper covered or wire stitched styles for dental and medical laboratory use.
• One Off Slipcases Single bespoke slipcases for collector books, made to measure with stock or premium paper covering. Prices start from £100-150 plus VAT. Customer must send book for accurate measuring.
• A4 Document Storage Boxes Wire stitched storage boxes from thick kraft board, 310x220x65mm internal dimensions. Strong, durable, stackable, and suitable for posting. £2.75+VAT per unit, minimum order 50 boxes.
• Moving House Cartons 0201 style double wall corrugated card cartons available in multiple sizes (22x16x18 inch at £4.20+VAT and 24x18x18 inch at £4.50+VAT). Supplied flat for self-assembly, collection only.
• Wire Stapled Boxes (Stock) Leftover wire stapled boxes 215x103x70mm, made from 1300 microns kraft lined board. Approximately 100 in stock, fully recyclable. £1.00+VAT per unit.
• Luxury Business Card Boxes Luxury business card boxes 95x60x45mm, made from 1500 microns white lined board. Stock in white, black, and kraft with custom printing available. £1.75+VAT for 500 boxes.

Quantifiable outcome

• Lead time 2-6 weeks depending on box style and complexity
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Mondi: European-headquartered global packaging and paper group with significant consumer packaging operations including folding cartons and corrugated boxes. Operates at scale across multiple packaging formats versus W MacCarthy & Sons' small-batch luxury focus.
• Sonoco Products Company: Global diversified packaging manufacturer with consumer and paperboard packaging segments. Operates in adjacent paperboard container categories but at industrial scale with a much broader product portfolio than W MacCarthy & Sons' bespoke luxury boxes.
• Graphic Packaging Holding Company: US-based global leader in paperboard packaging, particularly folding cartons for food, beverage, and consumer goods. Comparable in folding paperboard box manufacturing but at mass-market scale and without bespoke luxury craftsmanship positioning.
• WestRock Company: Major North American paper and packaging company with significant folding carton and consumer paperboard operations. Comparable raw-material and end-market overlap with paperboard packaging but at industrial scale rather than bespoke craftsmanship.
• Smurfit Kappa: One of the world's largest paper-based packaging manufacturers with extensive folding carton and corrugated operations across Europe. Comparable in raw material category (paperboard packaging) but operates at industrial scale rather than bespoke luxury runs.
• DS Smith: Global paper-based packaging giant headquartered in the UK with a broad portfolio spanning corrugated, paperboard, and retail-ready packaging. Overlaps with W MacCarthy & Sons in paperboard containers but serves much larger industrial volumes and lacks the bespoke luxury focus.

Direct peers

• Taylor Box Company: US specialty manufacturer of custom rigid setup boxes, paperboard packaging, and presentation packaging for luxury and gift markets. Directly comparable product set (rigid boxes, presentation boxes, custom luxury packaging) to W MacCarthy & Sons but serves North American rather than UK customers.
• Diamond Packaging: US-based manufacturer specializing in luxury folding cartons, paperboard packaging, and decorative packaging for cosmetics, confections, and premium consumer goods. Closely comparable to W MacCarthy & Sons in premium paperboard box manufacturing, finishing techniques (foil stamping, embossing), and luxury customer focus, though US-based rather than UK.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/w_mac_giftboxes
• Xx.com/W_Mac_GiftBoxes
• Facebookfacebook.com/WMacCarthyAndSons

Compliance1 record

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 W MacCarthy & Sons