What Cartonnerie Gondardennes does

Cartonnerie Gondardennes is a French family-owned manufacturer of corrugated paper and cardboard sheets, founded in 1897 and operating one of Europe's largest single-site corrugated plants on a 30-hectare footprint in Wardrecques (Pas-de-Calais). The company is the principal operating entity within the CGW Packaging Group, which is 100% held by family shareholders and comprises two paper mills, three sheet plants, three converting facilities, a packaging reseller, and around 700 employees across six French production sites; the standalone legal entity employs roughly 400 people on the Wardrecques site and reported €123M of revenue in FY2023 versus €205M+ at the consolidated group level. Its industrial base combines integrated papermaking (180,000 tonnes/year on two paper machines), three corrugators including a 3.30-meter-wide BHS line, and high-throughput converting assets such as BOBST 924 and 820 combined machines (up to 20,000–24,000 boxes/hour) and BOBST Masterfold 230 A and Göpfert G-CUT downstream — delivering more than 500 standard and specialty sheet qualities ranging from single-face to triple-wall fluting.

The product portfolio spans raw corrugated sheets (sold primarily to converters), transformed packaging (American boxes, die-cuts, trays, dividers, auto-bottom boxes, cushioning, e-commerce and PLV display packs), specialty papers (kraft substitutes, testliners, food-contact and antistatic grades), and the patented Paleco® cardboard pallet range. Patents and proprietary tooling include Paleco® and the OPTIBOX B2B digital eco-design service (developed with CTP, CAP and ADEME), complemented by certifications that include FSC® (since 2011), ISO 9001 (2016), ISO 50001 (2021), with ISO 22000 in progress.

Commercial operations follow an enterprise B2B go-to-market: technical-commercial representatives handle quoting-to-delivery for converters, industrial packaging buyers, printers/imprinters, and resellers/distributors across roughly 1,500 European customers, supported by an Espace Client portal with EDI ordering. Pricing is quote-based on minimum order quantities (200 m² for sheets, 10,000 m² for flat die-cuts, 20,000 m² for American boxes), with 24–72-hour standard-product lead times. Exports represent around 20% of standalone revenue, and CGW Packaging holds approximately 50% of the French sheet-cardboard market.

Name

Cartonnerie Gondardennes

Legal name

Cartonnerie Gondardennes

Website

https://cartonneries-gondardennes.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1897

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Cartonnerie Gondardennes is a French family-owned corrugated cardboard manufacturer founded in 1897, producing 500+ sheet qualities and transformed packaging on one of Europe's largest single-site plants in Wardrecques for ~1,500 converters, industrial buyers, printers and resellers across Europe.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Corrugated Cardboard Manufacturing

NAICS

Corrugated and Solid Fiber Box Manufacturing (322211), Paperboard Mills (32213)

SIC

Paperboard Containers & Boxes (2650), Paperboard Mills (2631), Paper Mills (2621)

akta.pro primary industry

Corrugated Packaging (Boxes, Sheets, Pads) (IMALACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Corrugated Packaging & Boxes (RSC, die-cut, bulk bins) (IMAMAHAA), Paperboard Sheet & Roll Converting (Slitting/Sheeting/Rewinding) (IMAMAFAM), Paper & Paperboard Packaging Converting & Finishing (Die-Cutting, Gluing, Windowing, Coating) (IMALACAL)

Keywords

• Corrugated cardboard sheets
• Corrugated packaging manufacturing
• Industrial packaging solutions
• Paper converting services
• Cardboard pallet systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Wardrecques

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Corrugated Sheet Sales: Manufacturing and sale of corrugated cardboard sheets/plates (plaques) with over 500 standard and specialty qualities. Products include single-face, double-face, triple-wall, and specialty profiles (G, F, E, D, B, C, EE, BE, CE, CB, etc.). Sheets are sold to converters and packaging manufacturers.
2. Packaging Products: Large-scale production of transformed packaging products including American boxes, die-cut boxes, trays, dividers, automatic-bottom boxes, cushioning, postal pouches, displays, and Paleco® cardboard pallets. Machines include BOBST 924 and 820 combiners, GOPFERT G-CUT and CUIR flatbed die-cutters, and BOBST Masterfold 230A folder-gluer.
3. Specialty Paper Products: Sale of specialty papers including cannelure papers, raw testliners, kraft substitutes (40-280 g/m²), white testliners, coated papers, food-contact papers, anti-abrasion, moisture barrier (PET compounds), antistatic, and anti-slip papers.
4. Client Services: Technical and commercial support services including custom design, feasibility studies, quality control, centralized account management, and transportation/logistics services. Eco-design bureau d'études services for complex packaging design.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Cartonnerie Gondardennes manufactures over 500 standard and specialty qualities of corrugated cardboard sheets and panels at its 30-hectare Wardrecques site, the largest integrated corrugated production facility in Europe. The company converts these sheets into American boxes, die-cuts, trays, dividers, displays, transport/e-commerce packaging, and the patented Paleco® cardboard pallets. It complements physical production with technical services (custom design, feasibility studies, quality control, account management) and the OPTIBOX B2B digital eco-design platform.

Product overview

Cartonnerie Gondardennes is a family-owned French manufacturer and converter of corrugated cardboard, operating as part of the CGW Packaging Group. Its core product is a very wide range of corrugated cardboard sheets and panels (over 500 standard and specialty quality grades), which serve as the input material for its conversion activities. The company offers a vertically integrated portfolio: standard and specialty sheets/panels (Plaques) feed transformed packaging products including American boxes, die-cuts, PLV displays, and consumer packaging, complemented by the Paleco® patented cardboard pallet line and the Optibox digital eco-design service. All products are backed by commercial, technical, and logistics services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Paleco®: Gamme de palettes en carton brevetée, alternative à la palette bois. Ultra légère (environ 3 kg/m²), entièrement recyclable, adaptable en format et résistance.
• Optibox

Products and services

• Plaques de carton ondulé (Corrugated Cardboard Sheets) Standard and specialty corrugated cardboard sheets and panels offered in over 500 quality grades covering simple, double, and triple fluting. Sold primarily to converters and packaging manufacturers who use them to produce American boxes, die-cuts, cushioning, and PLV displays.
• Emballages transformés (Transformed Packaging) Large range of converted corrugated packaging products including American boxes (semi/auto-bottom), custom die-cut boxes (FEFCO® types), trays/rack trays, dividers, auto-bottom boxes, cushioning, adhesive/tear/reinforcement strips, postal wraps, and pouches. Produced on BOBST 924/820 combiners, Göpfert G-CUT and CUIR flatbed die-cutters, and BOBST Masterfold 230A folder-gluer.
• Paleco® Patented Cardboard Pallet Patent-protected cardboard pallet serving as an alternative to wooden pallets. Available in very light to very heavy load ratings, optionally weather-resistant, entirely recyclable, ultra-lightweight (~3 kg/m²), and adaptable in format and resistance.
• Optibox Digital Eco-Design Service B2B digital service for autonomously eco-designing standard corrugated packaging while optimizing cost and performance based on expected usage conditions. Identifies the most suitable sheet qualities from 8 corrugated profiles with associated carbon footprint data, accessible 24/7.
• Specialty Papers Sale of specialty papers including cannelure papers, raw testliners, kraft substitutes (40-280 g/m²), white testliners, coated papers, food-contact papers, anti-abrasion, moisture barrier (PET compounds), antistatic, and anti-slip papers.
• Technical and Commercial Support Services Technical and commercial support services including custom packaging design, feasibility studies, quality control, centralized account management, eco-design bureau d'études services, and transportation/logistics coordination with regional partners.

Quantifiable outcome

• 86.2% recycled materials in finished products (2024)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers2 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

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Flamoval / SMFM (Syndicat Mixte Flandre Morinie)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2019Partnership with the SMFM energy recovery center in Arques, connected via district heating network (September 2019). The Flamoval facility processes waste for 330,000+ residents and produces electricity equivalent to 15,000 households annually. Cartonnerie Gondardennes uses recovered heat from the facility as part of its energy mix, supporting decarbonation efforts.
• Centre Technique du Papier (CTP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnical partner in the development of OPTIBOX digital packaging design service. CTP contributed technical expertise to the calculation algorithms for packaging performance optimization.
• Fédération du Cartonnage et Articles de Papeterie (CAP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry federation partner in the development of OPTIBOX digital service. Provided industry expertise and networking support for the digital packaging design tool.
• ADEME (Agence de la Transition Écologique)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench ecological transition agency that provided financial support for the development of OPTIBOX digital packaging design tool, aligned with ADEME's mission to promote sustainable packaging and circular economy.
• Various Stakeholders (Ademe, AgenceEau, Alliances, Atip, Cap, Capso, Carsat, Copacel, Ctp, Direction, Euramaterials, HDF, Ipc, Laho, Lumbres, Lypso, Mairie, Medef, PasDeCalais, ProchEmploi, SMFM, Sofie, SyndicatRegional, Vnf)minorOthersListed as parts prenantes (stakeholders) in the company's ecosystem, including industry associations, government bodies, educational institutions, and regional partners. Nature of engagement varies by entity.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• DS Smith: UK-headquartered corrugated and recycled-paper packaging group (now part of International Paper). Directly comparable as a European corrugated converter with significant recycled-fiber sourcing and converter-customer channels similar to Cartonnerie's primary segment.
• Mondi plc: UK-listed integrated paper and packaging group with significant corrugated and containerboard operations across Europe. Comparable to Cartonnerie Gondardennes as a vertically integrated player producing its own paper for downstream corrugated converting.
• VPK Group: Privately held Belgian corrugated packaging group operating paper mills, sheet plants and converting facilities across Europe. Comparable as a family-controlled, multi-site European corrugated converter competing for converter and industrial-buyer accounts.
• Heinzel Group: Austrian family-owned pulp, paper and packaging group with containerboard and corrugated operations in Central Europe. Comparable as an integrated paper and packaging producer with family-ownership governance and European converter customer base.
• Smurfit Westrock: The world's largest integrated containerboard and corrugated packaging group, formed via the merger of Smurfit Kappa and WestRock. Directly comparable to Cartonnerie Gondardennes across paper-making, corrugating, and box-converting activities, with a similar end-customer base of converters, FMCG and industrial buyers.
• Saica Group: Family-owned Spanish integrated paper and corrugated packaging group, with paper mills and converting operations across Europe. Comparable on the same integrated 'recycled paper to corrugated packaging' value chain and family-ownership governance model.
• Klingele Paper & Packaging: German family-owned paper mill and corrugated converter with operations across Europe, Africa and the Americas. Comparable to Cartonnerie Gondardennes in its integrated paper-to-corrugated model and family-ownership long-term orientation.
• RDM Group (Reno de Medici): Italian-listed recycled-fiber paperboard and corrugated packaging group with mills across Europe. Comparable as a European recycled-paperboard converter serving similar end markets (FMCG, industrial, converters).
• Gascogne SA: French paper and packaging group (Euronext-listed) producing kraft paper, industrial sacks and converted packaging. Comparable as a domestic French competitor serving similar converters and industrial packaging buyers with paper-based products.

Others

• BOBST: Swiss-listed supplier of converting machinery, whose combined-line equipment (BOBST 924/820, Masterfold 230A) Cartonnerie Gondardennes uses. Included as an enabling peer because shared technology platforms shape the operational economics and competitive positioning of corrugated converters.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cartonneries-de-gondardennes
• Facebookfacebook.com/Cartonnerie-Gondardennes-218023170231320

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries2 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 Cartonnerie Gondardennes