Castle Cartons

What Castle Cartons does

Castle Cartons Limited is a Birmingham-headquartered UK manufacturer of bespoke and standard corrugated packaging, operating from a single site at 96-112 Kings Road, Kings Heath since 1986. The company designs, manufactures, prints, and delivers corrugated boxes, die-cut fitments, divisions, layer cards, pallet packs, and assembled locked divisions for B2B customers across medical, construction, and consumer products industries throughout Great Britain. Core manufacturing technology spans TCY printer-slotter/casemakers (6PA, 8PA, 9PA), Marumatsu flat-bed die-cutters, a DYSS X5 CAD cutting table running Kasemake software, a Kolbus multi-nova gluer, Mosca strapping, and flexographic, lithographic, silk-screen, and digital printing, all integrated under SPOCS shop-floor planning software. An in-house design studio produces pre-production samples and supports quote-based pricing for fully bespoke SKUs as well as 25+ FEFCO standard box styles.

The business operates a sales-led go-to-market with Account Managers conducting on-site customer consultations and an internal estimating team issuing tailored quotes; revenue is generated one-time per project from the manufacture and sale of physical packaging products, with recurring revenue from a Stock-and-Serve managed warehousing service and ancillary packaging tapes and tape guns. Distribution is handled by an owned delivery fleet ranging from 7.5-tonne trucks to articulated 40ft trailers, providing nationwide Great Britain coverage. The firm is privately held by James Green, who acquired and rebranded the business in 2011, has no institutional funding, and has continued to reinvest in equipment, facility upgrades, and quality credentials, including ISO 9001:2015 certification in April 2025 and FSC chain-of-custody certification in progress.

Name

Castle Cartons

Legal name

Castle Cartons Limited

Website

https://castlecartons.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Castle Cartons Limited is a Birmingham-based UK manufacturer of bespoke and standard corrugated packaging, serving B2B customers across medical, construction, and consumer products industries throughout Great Britain via in-house design, printing, and owned delivery fleet.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Corrugated Packaging Manufacturing

NAICS

Corrugated and Solid Fiber Box Manufacturing (322211)

SIC

Paperboard Containers & Boxes (2650)

akta.pro primary industry

Corrugated Packaging & Boxes (RSC, die-cut, bulk bins) (IMAMAHAA)

Keywords

• Corrugated packaging manufacturing
• Bespoke cardboard boxes
• Custom packaging design
• FEFCO standard boxes
• Die-cut packaging

Headquarters

HQ city

Birmingham

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, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Bespoke Corrugated Packaging Manufacturing: Castle Cartons designs, manufactures, and delivers bespoke corrugated packaging solutions tailored to individual client product requirements. The company produces standard box solutions, die-cut fitments, made-to-measure boxes, divisions and layer cards, pallet packs, and assembled locked divisions. Revenue is generated through the manufacture and sale of these physical packaging products, with additional revenue from ancillaries such as packaging tapes and tape guns, and pallet collection services. The company also offers a stock and serve warehousing service providing managed inventory solutions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Castle Cartons designs, manufactures, and delivers bespoke and standard corrugated packaging, including custom boxes, die-cut fitments, divisions, layer cards, pallet packs, and assembled locked divisions for B2B customers. Production is supported by in-house CAD design, flexographic and digital printing, pre-production sampling, and a managed Stock & Serve warehousing solution, with finished goods delivered across Great Britain via the company's own fleet.

Product overview

Castle Cartons is a Birmingham-based manufacturer of bespoke and standard corrugated packaging with over 55 years of industry expertise. The company operates as a single unified product business centered on corrugated box manufacturing, combining in-house design, production, printing, and delivery services. The core offering consists of Bespoke Corrugated Packaging and Standard Box Solutions, complemented by sub-products including Die-Cut Fitments, Die-Cut Boxes, FEFCO Standard Boxes (covering 25+ box styles), Divisions & Layer Cards, Assembled Locked Divisions, Pallet Packs & Pallets, and Tapes & Tape Guns. Add-on services include Stock & Serve (warehousing), Flexographic Printing (with Lithographic, Silk Screen, and Digital options), Pre-Production Sampling, and a dedicated Delivery Fleet. The company operates from its Kings Road facility in Birmingham, supported by state-of-the-art machinery including TCY casemakers, Marumatsu flat bed die-cutters, Kolbus gluers, and DYSS CAD tables.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bespoke Corrugated Packaging Custom-designed corrugated packaging solutions tailored to individual client product requirements, providing optimal protection, visual appeal, and outstanding results across multiple industries.
• Standard Box Solutions Standard box styles produced to match the exact size and requirements of customer products, offering reliable and practical packaging options, including the FEFCO standard range.
• FEFCO Standard Boxes Standard FEFCO box styles from the European Federation of Corrugated Board Manufacturers classification system, including styles 0200, 0201, 0203, 0210, 0211, 0215, 0216, 0217, 0300, 0320, 0330, 0401, 0409, 0422, 0426, 0427, 0471, 0473, 0713, 0900, 0901, 0902, 0903, and 0933, tailored to exact size and requirements.
• Die-Cut Fitments Custom die-cut fitments designed to provide superior protection during transportation and storage, tested through drop tests and environmental simulations, for products from medical, construction, and consumer sectors.
• Die-Cut Boxes Custom die-cut boxes designed for products from various industries including medical, construction, and consumer products, available in any size or shape.
• Divisions and Layer Cards High quality corrugated layer cards and division sets for separating and protecting products, available assembled or unassembled.
• Assembled Locked Divisions Pre-assembled divisions made from 100% recycled solid board, providing enhanced protection and organisation for glassware, electronics, and other products requiring secure compartmentalisation.
• Pallet Packs and Pallets Strong and reliable pallet pack solutions for transporting bulk goods, designed to fit standard pallets and provide extra protection during shipping and storage.
• Tapes and Tape Guns Range of packaging tapes including environmentally friendly brown paper tape and standard clear tape, plus tape guns for sealing boxes securely, with custom branded tape available on request.
• Stock and Serve Service Fully managed warehousing solution allowing clients to request bespoke boxes on demand, with inventory management handled by Castle Cartons for a seamless supply chain.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Lane RoofingminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 15 February 2025Castle Cartons partnered with Lane Roofing, a trusted company known for their expertise and professionalism, to handle the complete roof renovation of both the office and factory buildings. Lane Roofing overclad the office roof in November 2025 and completely replaced the factory roof across 80% of the building in early 2025, with the remainder being heavily upgraded to improve energy efficiency. The project was completed with minimal disruption to daily activities.
• KelwickminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 18 September 2024Castle Cartons partnered with Kelwick, a trusted name in waste management solutions, to handle the installation of a new double compactor at the facility. This new equipment replaced the original Kelpack compactor after many years of use and significantly improved the waste management process.
• ParamountminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 18 September 2024Paramount was engaged by Castle Cartons to install a new waste extraction system alongside the new compactor. This system further enhanced waste management capabilities throughout the facility, providing a more streamlined and efficient approach to handling waste.
• AG CADcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 October 2023AG CAD supplied and installed a new state-of-the-art DYSS X5 cutting table, replacing the existing CAD table in October 2023. This advanced technology, alongside the company's wealth of knowledge, ensures precision and accuracy from design through to manufacturing. AG CAD had previously installed the first CAD table and Kasemake Software in 1997.
• ID MachinerycoreTechnology or Integration · 1 August 2023ID Machinery installed a fully reconditioned Marumatsu SM-1612v machine in August 2023. This machine addition to the existing machinery opened up the ability to produce larger flat-bed die-cuts on site, keeping tooling costs lower for shorter run jobs.
• KM Software (Clive Corner)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 1995Clive Corner from KM Software installed the DOS version of SPOCS (Sheet Plant Operations Control System) in 1995, marking the start of digital shop floor planning at Castle Cartons. In 2017, SPOCS S32 Shopfloor Planner was installed, completing the digital transformation of the factory floor.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Kite Packaging: UK packaging distributor offering a broad range of boxes, void fill, and protective packaging including corrugated options. Competes in adjacent product categories and often on price for stock SKUs, though more distribution-led than converter-led.

Broad incumbents

• Smurfit Kappa: Global leader in paper-based packaging, including corrugated boxes across UK and Europe. Defines the upper bound of competitive scale in Castle Cartons' market, with vertically integrated mills and sophisticated design-to-delivery platforms.
• Mondi plc: International paper and packaging manufacturer with significant UK and European corrugated operations. Overlaps with Castle Cartons in serving consumer goods and industrial customers with paper-based protective and transport packaging.
• Graphic Packaging Holding Company: Global paperboard packaging manufacturer serving consumer goods, food, and beverage customers. Adjacent competitor for branded retail packaging where paperboard meets corrugated substrates.
• DS Smith plc: UK-headquartered global integrated paper and packaging group with massive corrugated operations. Competes with Castle Cartons on larger volume runs and through its downstream packaging design services, though its scale and standard SKU focus differ from Castle Cartons' bespoke short-run model.
• Saica Group: Spanish-headquartered paper and packaging group with corrugated operations across Europe. Operates integrated paper mills and converting plants at a scale significantly above Castle Cartons but in the same corrugated packaging end market.

Others

• Palletower Limited: UK manufacturer and supplier of wooden, plastic, and metal pallets plus pallet collars and handling equipment. Adjacent supply-chain supplier often bundled with corrugated packaging solutions.

Direct peers

• Atlas Packaging: UK corrugated packaging manufacturer offering bespoke and standard boxes, die-cut packaging, and contract packing services. Comparable in manufacturing approach and target customer mix to Castle Cartons.
• Garthwest Limited: UK-based bespoke corrugated box manufacturer with in-house design, lithographic and digital print, and stock-and-serve capability. Closest comparable UK sheet plant by product breadth, scale (SME), and customer segmentation across horizontal B2B industries.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/castle-cartons-limited

Compliance10 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 Castle Cartons