Pelican Packaging

What Pelican Packaging does

Pelican Packaging is a privately held UK manufacturer of bespoke gift and presentation boxes, founded in 1984 by Jon Harris and Paul Tunstill. The company operates from a single manufacturing facility in Longton, Stoke-on-Trent, and produces six core product lines: printed cartons, rigid presentation boxes, plain cartons, die-cut fittings, laminated cartons, and protective/transit packaging. Its operations center on custom manufacturing using standard industrial equipment — including lamination, die-cutting, hot foil stamping, carton gluing, and rigid box finishing processes — with full in-house structural and presentational design capability and a sample/mock-up service prior to full production runs.

The company specializes in packaging for the ceramics, glassware, and giftware sectors, serving manufacturers and retailers across diverse UK channels including department stores, supermarkets, gift shops, Royal Palaces, high street independents, and DIY stores. Pelican operates a direct-to-customer sales model with no e-commerce or self-service ordering; all enquiries are handled via telephone or email. It runs a one-time product sales model with bespoke manufacturing runs rather than recurring subscriptions, and pricing is not publicly disclosed. The business uses environmentally friendly, recyclable, and biodegradable materials where possible and maintains a basic WordPress-hosted website with minimal digital marketing presence.

Pelican is founder-owned, with no disclosed parent company, subsidiaries, external investors, funding rounds, leadership changes, or M&A activity. Forty years of operational history and a specialized workforce represent the company's primary intangible assets, though there is no proprietary technology platform, no data assets, and no AI/ML capabilities. Revenue, headcount, and financial figures are not disclosed publicly.

Name

Pelican Packaging

Legal name

Pelican Packaging

Website

https://pelican.eu.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Pelican Packaging is a privately held UK manufacturer of bespoke gift and presentation boxes, founded in 1984 and based in Stoke-on-Trent. It serves ceramics, glassware, and giftware manufacturers and retailers across UK channels via direct sales and custom manufacturing runs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Custom Packaging Manufacturing

NAICS

Paperboard Container Manufacturing (32221), Folding Paperboard Box Manufacturing (322212), Other Paperboard Container Manufacturing (322219)

SIC

Paperboard Containers & Boxes (2650)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty Paper Packaging (Gift Boxes, Luxury Cartons, Composite Paper Cans) (IMALACAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Packaging & Product Brand Design (BPAFAEAG)

Keywords

• Bespoke packaging manufacturing
• Presentation boxes
• Printed folding cartons
• Rigid gift boxes
• Die-cut packaging fittings

Headquarters

HQ city

Longton

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Bespoke Packaging Manufacturing: Pelican generates revenue through the custom manufacture of gift and presentation boxes. The company produces printed cartons, plain cartons, rigid presentation boxes, laminated cartons, die-cut fittings, and protective/transit packaging to customer specifications. Revenue is derived from one-time product sales based on bespoke manufacturing runs rather than recurring subscription arrangements.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Pelican Packaging is a UK-based manufacturer of bespoke gift and presentation packaging, producing custom-printed cartons, plain cartons, rigid presentation boxes, laminated cartons, die-cut fittings, and protective/transit packaging tailored to customer specifications. The company specialises in presentation packaging for the ceramics, glassware, and giftware industries and serves retail customers including department stores, supermarkets, gift shops, Royal Palaces, high street independents, and DIY stores. Customers contact the company directly by telephone or email to commission custom manufacturing runs, with in-house design and sample/mock-up services provided prior to full production.

Product overview

Pelican Packaging is a UK-based manufacturer offering bespoke gift and presentation packaging solutions since 1984. The product portfolio comprises six core product lines: Printed Cartons (custom-printed folding cartons), Rigid Presentation Boxes (foil-blocked rigid boxes for luxury presentation), Plain Cartons (unprinted standard cartons), Die-Cut Fittings (custom cut components for product securement), Laminated Cartons (laminated flatpack cartons with premium finishes), and Protective/Transit Packaging (for storage and shipping). These products are complemented by full-service capabilities including design, laminating, die-cutting, hot foil stamping, carton gluing, and rigid box finishing, with a focus on ceramic, glassware, and giftware packaging.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Printed Cartons Custom-printed solid board or corrugated cartons tailored to customer specifications for retail packaging applications.
• Rigid Presentation Boxes Premium rigid presentation boxes that are covered and foil blocked, designed for high-end giftware and luxury product presentation.
• Plain Cartons Unprinted solid board or corrugated cartons available in standard sizes for general packaging needs.
• Die-Cut Fittings Custom die-cut components and fitments designed to secure and display products within packaging.
• Laminated Cartons Laminated flatpack cartons with printed or coloured paper finishes applied to solid folding carton board, corrugated board, or rigid presentation box board.
• Protective/Transit Packaging Protective packaging solutions designed to safeguard products during storage and transit.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves1 record

Broad incumbents

• Mondi: Global paper and packaging group producing corrugated, paperboard, and specialty packaging. Comparable in paperboard packaging category but serves much larger FMCG and industrial accounts.
• Graphic Packaging: US-listed paperboard packaging manufacturer serving food, beverage, and consumer goods. Comparable in folding cartons and paperboard packaging technology.
• Cascades: North American manufacturer of paperboard and specialty packaging including folding cartons and rigid boxes. Comparable in paperboard packaging products though operating at much larger scale.
• DS Smith: Major UK-listed paperboard and corrugated packaging manufacturer with broad retail and FMCG customer base. Overlaps with Pelican in folding cartons and protective packaging but operates at much larger scale with automated processes.
• Smurfit Kappa: Global paper-based packaging leader with strong European footprint in paperboard and corrugated packaging. Comparable product category but operates at industrial scale.
• Mayr-Melnhof Karton: European folding carton and recycled folding boxboard manufacturer with strong presence in premium packaging. Comparable in folding carton production for consumer goods.

Direct peers

• All Boxes GB: UK bespoke packaging and presentation box manufacturer producing rigid boxes, cartons, and gift packaging. Comparable scale and product mix to Pelican.
• Keenpac: UK luxury and bespoke packaging supplier offering rigid boxes, gift packaging, and presentation solutions for premium retail and gifting. Directly comparable in product category and premium positioning.
• Tuckers Packaging: UK bespoke cardboard and rigid box manufacturer serving giftware, cosmetics, and premium retail customers. Closely comparable to Pelican in materials, customization approach, and customer verticals.
• Pollards Boxes: UK-based bespoke packaging manufacturer producing printed cartons, rigid boxes, and presentation packaging for retail and giftware customers. Directly comparable to Pelican in product mix, customer base, and bespoke B2B model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

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 Pelican Packaging