What Charpak does

Charpak Ltd is a UK-based, family-owned designer and manufacturer of thermoformed rigid plastic packaging, operating from a single headquarters and production site in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire (registered office in Southampton). Founded in 1986 and employing 101-250 people, the company produces custom rigid packaging for food, automotive and high-performance engineering, chocolate and confectionery, fish and shellfish, alcohol and gifting, and broader FMCG/retail customers. Its product portfolio centres on rPET-based materials (Clear rPET, Black rPET, Coloured PET, CPET, PP) with recycled content of 70-90%, and is anchored by the patented Twist-Loc container — a fully recyclable rPET tub with integrated tamper-evident locking that won UK Packaging Awards Innovation of the Year in 2019.

The company runs a fully in-house value chain from CAD design and prototyping through tooling and production, marketing a 29-day concept-to-completion turnaround as a core speed differentiator. It operates a closed-loop recycling system, reprocessing its own scrap and supply-chain scrap back into finished products, and led the launch of the UK's first Localised Circular Economy with the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Waste Partnership (RECAP) in 2019, sourcing post-consumer plastic directly from local kerbside collections. Charpak is BRC Grade AA and ISO 9001:2015 certified, PVC-free since 2018, a founding member of WRAP's UK Plastics Pact, and a research partner with the University of Cambridge's CirPlas centre.

Commercially, Charpak sells bespoke B2B packaging on quote-based, multi-year contracts through a UK-based direct sales force, supplemented by industry events, earned media (BBC, Sky News), and content marketing. Named customers include Waitrose & Partners (launch partner for Twist-Loc), Marks & Spencer, Finsbury Foods, Kensey Foods, and Cheese Posties. The firm has expanded into adjacent adjacencies during demand spikes (PPE visors in 2020, vaccine vessels via MTC in 2021) and added automotive and Scotland-region sales capacity, but operates without disclosed external funding as a privately-held, family-managed business led by Managing Director Paul Smith and Technical Director Gary Smith.

Name

Charpak

Legal name

Charpak Ltd

Website

https://charpak.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Charpak Ltd is a UK-based, family-owned designer and manufacturer of thermoformed rigid plastic packaging, producing custom recyclable rPET containers and components for food, automotive, confectionery, and FMCG/retail customers from its Huntingdon facility.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Rigid Plastic Packaging Manufacturing

NAICS

All Other Plastics Product Manufacturing (326199)

akta.pro primary industry

Plastic Trays, Clamshells & Blister Packaging Manufacturing (IMANAEAE)

Keywords

• Thermoformed rigid packaging
• Recyclable plastic packaging
• Custom packaging design
• RPET food containers
• Automotive protective packaging

Headquarters

HQ city

Huntingdon

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Custom thermoformed packaging manufacturing: Charpak designs and manufactures bespoke rigid thermoformed plastic packaging for B2B customers including FMCG brands, retailers, and industrial sectors. They provide end-to-end solutions from concept design through to full production, serving markets including food, automotive, chocolate, convenience, fish & shellfish, and alcohol & gifting.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Charpak designs and manufactures custom thermoformed rigid plastic packaging for B2B customers, primarily using recycled PET (rPET) and other recycled plastics. The company provides end-to-end solutions from concept design and prototyping through tooling to in-house production, serving food, automotive, chocolate, convenience, fish & shellfish, and alcohol & gifting sectors. Their patented Twist-Loc product is a 100% recyclable rPET container with integrated tamper-evidence.

Product overview

Charpak is a UK-based packaging design and manufacturing company specialising in thermoformed rigid plastic packaging. The company's core offering centres on its patented Twist-Loc® product line - a 100% recyclable rPET container system - supported by a comprehensive portfolio of recycled plastic materials (Clear rPET, Black rPET, Coloured PET, CPET, PP). Charpak provides end-to-end services from in-house design and prototyping through to full-scale manufacturing, with a focus on sustainability and circular economy principles. The company manufactures packaging for food (cakes, desserts, snacks, convenience foods), automotive, alcohol and gifting, chocolate, fish and shellfish, and commercial/industrial sectors. All products contain recycled materials (minimum 70%, up to 90%) and are designed for recyclability. Key differentiators include 29-day concept-to-production turnaround, UK manufacturing, and localised circular economy initiatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Twist-Loc Treat Tub Patented 100% recyclable rPET thermoformed container with integrated tamper-evident locking mechanism that eliminates micro-plastic tear-off bits. Contains minimum 75% recycled material, uses 7.5g less plastic than alternatives, and is widely recyclable via kerbside collection. Launched in partnership with Waitrose & Partners as the first UK supermarket to use it.
• Jazz Recycled Coloured Plastics Packaging Recycled coloured plastics packaging solution made from 86% recycled material, designed to re-use black plastic packaging. Launched at Packaging Innovations 2020 as a sustainable packaging innovation.
• PPE Face Visor Kits COVID-19 response product - thermoformed PPE face visor kits designed for comfort and protection of NHS staff and key workers. Launched April 2020 in response to the pandemic.
• Vaccine Vessel Packaging Thermoformed vaccine tray developed in collaboration with MTC for COVID-19 vaccine distribution. Launched December 2021.
• Manufacturing Aids Thermoformed solutions for manufacturing aids including work in progress trays, transit trays, protective containers, clam packs, lids, cloches, and moulds. Used in automotive and industrial manufacturing processes.
• Packaging Design Services Complete in-house packaging design service from initial concept to full manufacture, including rapid prototyping, CAD visualisation, and design for recyclability. Industry-leading 29-day turnaround from concept to production.
• Design for Recyclability Service Sustainability-focused design service applying circular economy principles: assess technical requirements, review materials, conduct lifecycle analysis, keep resources circular, and address waste minimisation following reduce > reuse > recycle > remanufacture hierarchy.

Quantifiable outcome

• 99.88% of Charpak products contain recycled plastics
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, secondary and minor.

• Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Waste Partnership (RECAP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLed by Charpak, developed in partnership with RECAP. Cambridgeshire-wide initiative takes kerbside collected household plastic waste, sorts, recycles, cleans and remanufactures into plastic for new products. Over 1,500 tonnes collected and over 8 million pieces of packaging made from this material.
• University of Cambridge (CirPlas)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCambridge Creative Circular Plastics Centre (CirPlas) at Cambridge Judge Business School partnered with Charpak as Circular Economy case study. Focuses on innovations in plastic use, re-use and avoiding use. Funded by UK Research and Innovation.
• WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharpak is a Founding Member of The UK Plastics Pact, a world-first initiative to transform the plastic packaging system. Works with WRAP to achieve systematic change in plastic packaging recyclability.
• RECOUP (Recycling Of Used Plastics Limited)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of RECOUP, collaborating on plastics recycling initiatives and education programmes to reduce consumer confusion about plastics recycling.
• Waitrose & PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst UK supermarket to launch Twist-Loc Treat Tubs. Launch partner for Charpak's award-winning recyclable packaging innovation made from 90% recycled materials.
• Silverstone Technology ClustersecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerActive member focusing on 'The Business of the Future'. Engages with high-performance engineering cluster for automotive and advanced engineering packaging solutions.
• The Ben SocietyminorOthersCharpak sponsors The Ben Society golf day events, supporting automotive industry charity.
• Oxmoor Community GroupminorOthersCommunity engagement partnership to support residents with product, packaging and recycling awareness.
• Essex Avenue Community Tenants and Residents AssociationminorOthersCommunity educational partnership - welcomed group for litter picking and recycling awareness education.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Coveris: UK and European rigid and flexible plastic packaging manufacturer with strong positions in food, fresh protein and dairy. Overlap with Charpak's Huntingdon-based food packaging offering and their shared focus on mono-material recyclable substrates.
• Greiner Packaging: Austria-headquartered rigid plastic packaging group producing thermoformed and injection-moulded packaging for food and consumer goods. Direct peer to Charpak in custom rigid plastic packaging, with parallel focus on recyclability and circular economy initiatives in Europe.
• Pactiv Evergreen: Global thermoformed food and beverage packaging producer with major positions in rPET and CPET cups, trays and containers. Direct competitor in thermoformed rigid plastic packaging to FMCG and foodservice customers that Charpak also targets.
• Faerch Group: Denmark-headquartered pan-European rigid plastic packaging manufacturer focused on food trays and containers made primarily from rPET and CPET. Direct peer to Charpak in design-led, recyclable rigid plastic food packaging with overlapping end-markets in ready meals, protein and convenience food.
• Klöckner Pentaplast (including legacy LINPAC): Global rigid and flexible plastic packaging group that acquired LINPAC, a UK rigid plastic food packaging specialist. Direct overlap with Charpak in rPET trays, food and protein thermoforms, and circular-economy positioning in Europe.

Others

• Sealed Air: Global protective and food packaging company focused on Cryovac food packaging and Bubble Wrap/integrated packaging solutions. Adjacent peer to Charpak's manufacturing-aids / transit-tray offering for high-performance engineering and industrial customers, rather than its core retail food packaging.

Broad incumbents

• Amcor: Global packaging major with rigid plastics (Amcor Rigid Packaging) operations across food, beverage and healthcare. Competes with Charpak in thermoformed rigid plastic packaging as part of a much broader portfolio spanning flexible packaging, healthcare and specialty cartons.
• Huhtamaki: Global food and consumer packaging incumbent with a significant flexible and rigid plastics business serving food services, retail and FMCG. Competes with Charpak across multiple of its served verticals (food, confectionery, gifting) at larger scale and broader geographic footprint.
• Sonoco Products: Diversified global packaging company with rigid paper, plastics and protective packaging operations serving food and consumer markets. Competes with Charpak in selected rigid plastic and protective packaging applications as part of a much broader product portfolio.
• Berry Global: Global plastics packaging major that acquired the UK-based RPC Group, giving it a leading position in rigid plastic food packaging and thermoformed trays across the UK and Europe. Direct competitor to Charpak in rigid plastic food and consumer packaging, with materially larger scale and multi-site footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/charpakltd
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/charpak-limited

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Charpak