What EPE International does

EPE International Corporation operates as a Total Packaging Solution Company (TPSC) designing, prototyping, producing, and selling packaging and logistics materials. The company is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, with its primary Chinese operating entity, Shanghai EPE Insulation Products Co., Ltd. (上海伊比伊隔热制品有限公司), founded in 2001 with initial capital of $2.1 million subsequently increased to $21 million. EPE generates revenue through three streams: (1) manufacturing and sale of cushioning materials — Eperan molded products (expanded polyethylene EPE and expanded polypropylene EPP developed with Kaneka Corporation), Eperan plates and laminated sheets, extruded PE/PP sheets, expanded polystyrene molded products, vacuum-molded products, and tote boxes; (2) custom packaging design services including three-dimensional CAD, CNC prototyping, and drop test verification; and (3) sales and rental of TRICONE air cushion packaging machines (#100, #150, #250 models) and proprietary consumable films (M, S, SS sizes).

The business serves approximately 400 enterprise customers across four primary verticals — precision instruments manufacturers, electronics manufacturers, vehicle parts manufacturers, and logistics companies — via direct enterprise field sales. EPE operates a global network of 50+ offices, factories, and related entities across Japan, China, the United States, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, enabling area-specific production and short-time delivery to multinational customers. Pricing is quote-based on packaging requirements, volume, and specifications, structured as multi-year enterprise contracts. The company holds ISO 14001 environmental management certification at its Shanghai and Suzhou facilities and bundles this ESG positioning with a "smaller, lighter packaging" value proposition aimed at reducing transportation cost and environmental footprint for customers. The relevant parent corporation is EPE Corporation (Japan), with TRICONE Sales Corporation as a wholly owned subsidiary handling the air-cushion machine line.

Name

EPE International

Legal name

EPE International Corporation

Website

https://epeins.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

EPE International is a Japan-headquartered Total Packaging Solution Company that designs, prototypes, and manufactures cushioning materials (Eperan EPE/EPP foams) and TRICONE air-cushion packaging machines for ~400 enterprise customers across precision instruments, electronics, automotive parts, and logistics industries, operating 50+ facilities in 8 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Protective Packaging

NAICS

Urethane and Other Foam Product (except Polystyrene) Manufacturing (32615), Polystyrene Foam Product Manufacturing (326140), Plastics Packaging Film and Sheet (including Laminated) Manufacturing (326112)

SIC

Plastics Foam Products (3086), Unsupported Plastics Film & Sheet (3081)

akta.pro primary industry

Foam Protective Packaging (EPS/EPE/EPP, PU, Molded Foam) (IMALAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Inflatable & Air Cushion Packaging (Air Pillows, Bubble Wrap Systems) (IMALAFAB), Protective & Cushioning Packaging (Bubble Wrap, Air Pillows, Foam-in-Bag) Manufacturing (IMANAEAF)

Keywords

• Protective packaging materials
• Cushioning materials manufacturing
• Expanded polyethylene foam
• Air cushion machines
• Industrial packaging design

Headquarters

HQ city

Shanghai

HQ country

China

HQ region

Asia

Offices18 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Cushioning Materials Manufacturing and Sales: Design, prototyping, and production of packaging and logistics materials including Eperan molded products, finished goods with Eperan/laminated plates, expanded polystyrol molded products, vacuum-molded products, and tote boxes. Revenue from manufacturing and selling cushioning materials to enterprise customers.
2. Packaging Design Services: In-house packaging design, prototyping, CAD, drop testing, and quotation services for customers requiring customized packaging solutions.
3. TRICONE Machine Sales and Rental: Manufacturing and sales of TRICONE air cushion packaging machines and related film products. Machines available for rent or purchase.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

EPE International designs, prototypes, manufactures, and sells cushioning packaging and logistics materials, centered on Eperan expanded polyethylene (EPE) and Eperan PP expanded polypropylene (EPP) cushioning products, molded and laminated parts, vacuum-molded products, and the TRICONE line of on-site air cushion packaging machines and films. The company delivers end-to-end packaging solutions including three-dimensional CAD design, CNC prototyping, in-house drop testing, and global logistics coordination through more than 50 offices and factories in eight countries.

Product overview

EPE International (Shanghai EPE Insulation Products Co., Ltd.) operates as a Total Packaging Solution Company (TPSC) offering a comprehensive portfolio of cushioning and protective packaging products and services across eight countries with over 50 offices and factories. The core product line centers on Eperan brand expanded polyethylene (EPE) and expanded polypropylene (EPP) cushioning materials developed in collaboration with Kaneka Corporation, available as molded products, plates, laminated sheets, extruded PE/PP sheets, and expanded polystyrene/vacuum-molded products. The TRICONE series provides on-site air bubble packaging machines (#100, #150, #250) with corresponding films (M, S, SS) for immediate cushioning production needs. Supporting services include packaging design and prototyping, drop testing, three-dimensional CAD, CNC prototypes, and global logistics coordination.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Eperan: Expanded polyethylene (EPE) and Expanded polypropylene (EPP) cushioning materials developed by Kaneka Corporation.
• Eperan PP
• TRICONE

Products and services

• Eperan (Expanded Polyethylene - EPE) Cushioning Materials Expanded polyethylene cushioning material developed by Kaneka Corporation, produced via a bead expansion process with outstanding cushioning characteristics. Internal molding allows a wide variety of shapes for protecting customer products during shipping and storage.
• Eperan PP (Expanded Polypropylene - EPP) Cushioning Materials Expanded polypropylene cushioning material developed by Kaneka Corporation, produced using a bead expansion process with superior cushioning properties and formability for protective packaging applications.
• Eperan Molded Products Expanded bead internal foam molded products manufactured through collaboration with Kaneka Corporation for supply and quality control. EPE operates its own molding factories in China and Thailand to produce these molded cushioning products.
• Eperan Plates and Laminated Sheets Finished goods manufactured from Eperan materials using cutting, blanking, heat sealing, and other methods without expensive dies, enabling high-mix, low-volume production and short-time delivery.
• Conventional Packaging Products (Carton Boxes, Folded Pads, Tote Boxes) Conventional packaging materials including carton boxes, folded pads, and reusable tote boxes for logistics and storage applications.
• TRICONE Air Cushion Packaging Machines Air bubble packaging machine series including the compact TRICONE #100 (150 pieces/min, AC 100V single phase, 200kg, no compressor required), the mid-range TRICONE #150 (250 pieces/min, AC 200V three-phase, 300kg, compressor required), and the high-capacity TRICONE #250 (250 pieces/min, AC 200V three-phase, 350kg, custom production available). Designed for on-site production of pillow and quadrangle cushioning materials where and when needed.
• TRICONE Films (M, S, SS) PET-PE film rolls compatible with TRICONE machines, available in three sizes: M (19.0cm x 3,000m), S (13.6cm x 3,000m), and SS (10.6cm x 1,500m). Produce pillow-shaped air bubble cushioning in various sizes.
• Packaging Design and Prototyping Services In-house packaging design and prototyping services using EPE's proprietary know-how, three-dimensional CAD, and CNC prototypes for rapid product development and customization.
• Drop Test Verification Services Reliability testing and verification of packaging designs at EPE's in-house drop test facility before delivery of prototypes for customer evaluation, supporting compliance with customer and industry requirements.
• Global Production and Logistics Services Production and logistics services delivered through EPE's global network of more than 50 offices, factories, and related entities in eight countries, optimally responding to individual customer demands including overseas deliveries and area-specific production.

Quantifiable outcome

• Short-time delivery through in-house packaging design, prototyping, CAD, drop test and quotation capabilities
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 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

Feature6 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Kaneka CorporationcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 September 2004EPE collaborates with Kaneka Corporation for the supply and quality control of Eperan molded products. Kaneka developed the Eperan (Expanded Polyethylene - EPE) and Eperan PP (Expanded Polypropylene - EPP) materials using bead expansion process. EPE operates its own molding factories in China and Thailand. Note: Kamegafuchi Chemical Industry Co., Ltd. changed its name to Kaneka Corporation on September 1, 2004.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Storopack: German-headquartered protective packaging specialist producing EPS/EPP molded foams (Styropor/Styrofoam equivalents) and air cushion systems (AIRplus). Directly competes with EPE in EPP/EPE molded parts and inflatable cushioning across global automotive and electronics accounts.
• Ranpak: Specializes in paper-based protective packaging systems (PadPak, FillPak, WrapPak) sold as hardware + consumables, mirroring TRICONE's razor-and-blade model. Adjacent material choice (paper vs foam) but directly comparable end-customer use case and recurring revenue logic.
• Pregis: PE-backed protective packaging manufacturer offering air pillows, paper cushioning, foam-in-place, and engineered foams. Closest direct competitor to EPE's TPSC model across both inflatable air cushion (TRICONE analog) and molded foam (Eperan analog) categories.
• JSP Corporation: Japanese manufacturer of expanded polypropylene (EPP) and expanded polyethylene (EPE) foam products including the well-known ARPRO and ARPAK brands. Direct rival to EPE/Kaneka's Eperan line in automotive, electronics, and protective packaging applications.

Broad incumbents

• BASF: Global chemical giant supplying polyurethane systems and specialty foams used in protective packaging and cushioning. Operates upstream of EPE rather than competing in finished molded products, but adjacent in foam chemistry.
• Pactiv Evergreen:
• Sonoco Products: Diversified global packaging manufacturer with protective packaging and rigid paper/plastic container operations. Broader portfolio than EPE but overlapping in industrial protective packaging and molded foam components for industrial customers.
• Sealed Air: Global protective packaging incumbent offering Bubble Wrap inflatable air cushion systems, Instapak foam-in-place, and automated packing systems. Overlaps with EPE on inflatable cushioning and molded foam categories but at much larger scale and broader product breadth.

Others

• Kaneka Corporation: Japanese chemical company that developed and licenses the Eperan EPE/EPP bead-foam technology to EPE. Strategic supplier and technology partner rather than direct competitor, but could vertically integrate into molded products.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries5 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 EPE International