Kornelis

What Kornelis does

Kornelis Caps & Closures B.V. is a Dutch plastic processing company headquartered in Steenwijk, Netherlands, founded in 1936 by Jelte Kornelis and renamed to its current form in 2000. The company specializes in the design, development, and production of plastic caps and closures, producing approximately 500 million units annually across 32 injection molding machines. Its product portfolio spans diameters of 38mm to 120mm and includes twist-off caps, screw caps, flip-top caps, sprinkle caps, and sauce caps, delivered as both standardized catalog items and fully custom-engineered solutions. Kornelis serves primarily large European food brands with applications in peanut butter, syrups, sauces, coffee creamers, spices, and sports nutrition, and secondarily the cosmetics and bio-product packaging verticals.

The company's technical platform centers on injection molding, supplemented by In-Mould Labeling (IML) decoration, NIR-detectable black colorants for recycling-sortable plastics, mono-material designs compliant with the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), metal-look finishes, and an in-house mold-making and design capability. It is supported by a Smart Factory / Visual Link|MES system for data-driven production monitoring and automated process control. The company is certified to FSSC 22000 for food safety, ISCC PLUS for sustainable feedstocks, and EcoVadis Silver (76/100, 93rd percentile) for sustainability performance, and is led by CEO Gerben de Boer, who has held the role for 22 years.

Kornelis operates as a family-owned private limited company (B.V.) with no external investors or parent company. It generates revenue through unit pricing on standard products and quote-based pricing on custom solutions requiring dedicated tooling, under multi-year contracts with enterprise food-industry customers. Go-to-market is conducted via a direct enterprise field-sales team supplemented by participation in major European packaging trade shows (FACHPACK Nuremberg, Packaging Innovations Birmingham, Empack Den Bosch), and distribution is supported by a 50-year logistics partnership with Bakker Transport Giethoorn. Headcount is 75–80 fixed employees supplemented by a flexible workforce shell.

Name

Kornelis

Legal name

Kornelis Caps & Closures B.V.

Website

https://kornelis.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1936

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Kornelis Caps & Closures is a Dutch plastic processing company founded in 1936 that designs and manufactures plastic caps and closures (38–120mm) for European food brands, producing roughly 500 million units annually via injection molding and IML decoration, with both standard and custom-engineered solutions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Plastic Caps and Closures Manufacturing

akta.pro primary industry

Closures & Dispensing for Rigid Plastic (Caps, Pumps, Sprayers, Droppers) (IMALAAAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Custom Closures & Closure Decoration (Coloring, Printing, Metallization) (IMALALAO), Lids & Covers (Overcaps, Dome Lids, Jar Lids) (IMALALAL), Plastic Caps, Closures & Dispensing Systems Manufacturing (IMANAEAB)

Keywords

• Plastic caps manufacturing
• Closures for packaging
• Food packaging components
• Injection molding services
• Custom closure design

Headquarters

HQ city

Steenwijk

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Caps and Closures Manufacturing: Design, development and production of plastic caps and closures for food and non-food products. Products range from standardized models to fully custom-made solutions, including twist-off caps, screw caps, flip-top caps, sprinkle caps, and sauce caps in sizes from 38mm to 120mm.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Kornelis designs, develops, and produces plastic caps and closures for the food and non-food packaging industries. The offering spans standardized catalog products and fully custom-made solutions, including twist-off, screw, flip-top, sprinkle, and sauce caps in diameters from 38mm to 120mm, complemented by in-mould labeling decoration, tamper-evident seals, custom color options, and design/tooling services for bespoke development.

Product overview

Kornelis produces a comprehensive portfolio of plastic caps and closures for the food packaging industry, offering both standardized products and fully customized solutions. The core offering includes twist-off caps (70mm, 82mm), screw caps (38mm-120mm range), flip-top caps, and sprinkle caps. These are complemented by specialized products including the Metal-look closure (a plastic cap that mimics metal appearance), IML (In Mould Label) decoration service for high-end visual branding, and temper evidence sealing solutions. The company also offers color customization through its colour catalogue and extreme lightweight solutions like the X-Cap achieving 40% material reduction. Design and tooling services support customer-specific developments from prototype to market launch.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Caps and Closures (Twist-off, Screw, Flip-top, Sprinkle, Sauce) Plastic caps and closures for food and non-food products in diameters from 38mm to 120mm, including twist-off, screw, flip-top, sprinkle, and sauce caps available in standard and custom configurations. Designed for sealing jars and bottles with tamper evidence and brand differentiation.
• Metal-look closure (Bliklook deksel) Plastic closure designed to look like metal while being lighter and easier to recycle, available in 63mm, 66mm, 70mm, and 82mm diameters with low-profile versions for 63mm and 70mm. Sealing options include induction peel or foam insert.
• Tamper-Evident Sealing (Temper Evidence) Tamper-evident sealing solutions including induction foils, pressure-sensitive inlays, and glueable foils with or without backing, providing consumer certainty and extended product shelf life for food and non-food products.
• In-Mould Labeling (IML) Decoration Service In-mould labeling technique where a pre-printed PP label is placed in the mold and fuses with molten PP during hardening, creating an integrated label and packaging in a single piece. Available in 63mm, 66mm, 70mm, and 82mm diameters with single and double-sided options.
• Sprinkle Caps Screw closures with dual dispensing options — flip-top wide opening for larger quantities and a sprinkle function for garnishing. Available in 38mm, 63mm, 82mm, and 85mm diameters.
• Color Catalogue Extensive color options for caps and closures, including NIR-detectable black for improved recycling sorting and a wide range of standard colors for brand customization.
• X-Cap (Xtreme Cap) Extreme lightweight screw-on lid for wide-mouth jars (chocolate, pasta, peanut butter) that achieves approximately 40% material savings through a totally redeveloped structure and shape while maintaining full functionality.
• Design and Tooling Services Custom design and prototyping services including 3D product design and rapid prototyping. In-house R&D team and mold manufacturing facility support customized caps and closures development from concept to market launch.
• Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Tool Tool developed for customers to compare environmental impact of different closure types, enabling comparisons between PP and metal closures and between similar products to support sustainable packaging decisions.

Quantifiable outcome

• 40% material savings achieved with X-Cap extreme lightweight closure project
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Thiele&Kor Plastics Machinery (TKPM)coreTechnology or IntegrationSupplier of three new fully electric Sumitomo-Demag IntElect2 injection molding machines (IntElect S 130 and 180 tonners). Partnership includes process optimization support from Demag specialists. Machines specified for fast cycle times and low energy consumption with robotics for automation.
• HellebrekerscoreTechnology or IntegrationSoftware development partner for MES system development and programming. Kornelis provides functional descriptions and requirements, Hellebrekers handles programming for production environment implementation.
• W&R PlasticscoreTechnology or IntegrationSupplier of colorant pellets for plastic coloring. Partnership spanning over 40 years. Both family businesses with similar working cultures emphasizing short communication lines and familiar atmosphere.
• NoordWestGroepcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWork development company providing employment support. 35+ year collaboration where NoordWestGroep employees assist with post-processing tasks including clicking caps, assembly, quality checks, and removing cardboard inserts for recycling. Partnership creates jobs for various target groups.
• Bakker Transport GiethoorncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHouse carrier for 50 years. Daily transport of 2-3 trucks for Kornelis logistics. Fourth-generation family business. Trucks wrapped in Kornelis branding reflecting company growth over years.
• Regional Schools (Group 7, School B Steenwijk)minorOthersEducational collaboration on plastic soup awareness. Ytsen de Boer provides presentations on plastic advantages/disadvantages. Children tour factory to see cap production. Aims to build community awareness about sustainable packaging.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Berry Global Group: One of the largest global plastic packaging manufacturers, producing caps, closures, dispensing systems, and rigid plastic containers for food, beverage, personal care, and industrial markets. Direct competitor to Kornelis in plastic caps and closures for food brands, with a much broader product portfolio and global footprint.
• Alpla Group: Austrian-headquartered global plastic packaging manufacturer producing bottles, caps, closures, and preforms. Operates a dedicated closure technology offering with in-house injection molding, directly comparable to Kornelis' food-grade cap portfolio with a broader international footprint.
• Global Closure Systems: Specialist manufacturer of plastic closures for beverage, food, personal care, and home care markets. Direct niche competitor to Kornelis in custom and standard cap production, with proprietary design and tooling capabilities.
• AptarGroup: Global supplier of dispensing closures, pumps, sprayers, droppers, and sealing solutions for food, beverage, personal care, and home markets. Closely comparable to Kornelis in custom injection-molded closure systems, with stronger presence in dispensing closures.
• Huhtamaki: Finnish-listed global food packaging specialist producing flexible packaging, paperboard, and rigid plastic food containers and lids. Highly comparable in food-industry customer base and European presence, including a Flexible Packaging and a Foodservice Europe-Asia-Oceania segment that overlap with Kornelis' food closure applications.
• Silgan Holdings: Major North American-headquartered producer of dispensing and specialty closures, metal food containers, and plastic containers. Operates a dedicated Dispensing and Specialty Closures segment that directly overlaps with Kornelis' product range, particularly in food and personal care.
• Weener Plastics: Dutch-headquartered specialist in injection-molded plastic packaging including dispensing closures, flip-top caps, and roll-on balls for personal care, food, and home care. Closely comparable niche specialist competitor to Kornelis with similar custom tooling approach.
• Bormioli Luigi: Italian producer of plastic and glass packaging including caps, closures, and dispensing systems for cosmetics, personal care, food, and beverage. Comparable in custom injection-molded closure design serving European brand owners, with stronger presence in fragrance and cosmetics closures.

Broad incumbents

• Amcor: Global packaging giant producing flexible and rigid plastic packaging including caps, closures, and containers for food, beverage, healthcare, and personal care. Competes with Kornelis on food-brand RFPs, with a much broader portfolio and scale that encompasses but is not limited to closure systems.
• Sonoco Products Company: Global diversified packaging producer with rigid paper, plastic, and metal containers including closures and lids for food and consumer goods. Comparable in serving large food brands with engineered packaging components, though closures are a smaller slice of its overall portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kornelis-caps-closures
• Facebookfacebook.com/kornelis.nl

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 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 Kornelis