CAPPA S.A.

What CAPPA S.A. does

CAPPA S.A. is a Costa Rica-based, family-owned importer and distributor of paper and cardboard products serving the lithographic, educational, corporate, packaging, and retail/POS sectors in Costa Rica, Central America, and Panama. Founded by Jean Jacques Cappa and operating from two physical locations in San José (La Uruca headquarters and La Esquina de Cappa retail showroom in Barrio Luján), the company offers a broad catalog including bond, kraft, thermal, couche, newsprint, and self-copying papers, plus cardboards such as duplex, bristol, manila, opalina, barnizable, and chipboard, alongside foamboard and proprietary premium lines like Fedrigoni's Cartulina Opalina.

The company differentiates through three value-added services: roll rewinding using machines capable of processing rolls up to 72 inches (1.8m), roll-to-sheet conversion with quality inspection, and professional blade sharpening for guillotines, rewinding machines, and saw blades (including HSS and tungsten carbide processes). Pricing is quote-based and customized to client specifications (gram weight, dimensions, and quantity), with no public price list, and revenue is generated entirely through one-time product sales and service fees. The company holds no patents, trademarks, or formal alliances beyond its PROCOMER-administered Perfeccionamiento Activo customs regime participation since 2006, which provides duty exemptions enabling approximately 30% of products to be exported regionally.

Cappa S.A. is privately held with no evidence of institutional investment or public listing. The second generation entered management in 2022 when Jonathan Cappa (Bocconi-trained, with prior experience at Société Générale Private Banking and insurtech firms) joined as Management Director, initiating CRM implementation, ERP digitization, and production process improvements. The company references more than 1,500 satisfied clients and operates a small workforce (11 employees per firmographics, with multiple long-tenured staff in the 14-22 year range), distributing through direct sales at physical locations and a quote-based enterprise field sales motion targeting Central American export customers.

Name

CAPPA S.A.

Legal name

Cappa S.A.

Website

https://papelcappa.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CAPPA S.A. is a family-owned Costa Rican importer and distributor of paper and cardboard serving lithographic, educational, corporate, and retail/POS customers in Costa Rica, Central America, and Panama, with custom rewinding, conversion, and blade-sharpening services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Paper and Cardboard Distribution

NAICS

Packaging and Labeling Services (56191)

SIC

Wholesale-Paper & Paper Products (5110), Converted Paper & Paperboard Prods (No Contaners/Boxes) (2670), Paperboard Containers & Boxes (2650)

akta.pro primary industry

Paperboard Sheet & Roll Converting (Slitting/Sheeting/Rewinding) (IMAMAFAM)

Keywords

• Paper distribution
• Cardboard products
• Custom rewinding services
• Roll-to-sheet conversion
• Blade sharpening services

Headquarters

HQ city

San José

HQ country

Costa Rica

HQ region

Latin America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Paper and Cardboard Distribution: Cappa S.A generates revenue through importing and distributing high-quality papers and cardboards to the lithographic market in Costa Rica, Central America, and Panama. Products include thermal paper, bond paper, kraft paper, newsprint, self-copying paper, couche paper, and various cardstocks (duplex, manila, bristol, opalina, barnizable). Revenue is generated through one-time product sales with pricing based on gram weight, size, and quantity.
2. Custom Conversion and Rewinding Services: Value-added services including rewinding rolls to custom sizes and converting rolls to sheets, providing customers with paper products in non-standard dimensions. This service enables Cappa to differentiate on customization rather than competing solely on standard market sizes.
3. Blade Sharpening Services: Professional blade sharpening services for guillotines, rewinding machines, and saw blades, using specialized processes for both HSS and tungsten carbide blades. Service is provided to both internal operations and external clients.
4. Export Revenue (Perfeccionamiento Activo): Under the Perfeccionamiento Activo customs regime, Cappa S.A exports approximately 30% of its products to Central America and the Caribbean, enjoying duty exemptions on exported goods. This represents a significant revenue stream and differentiates the company as a key paper exporter for the region.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CAPPA S.A. is an importer, exporter, and distributor of high-quality papers and cardboards serving the lithographic, educational, corporate, and packaging industries across Costa Rica, Central America, and Panama. The company offers a comprehensive product portfolio including bond, kraft, thermal, couche, newsprint, self-copying paper, and a range of cardboards (duplex, bristol, manila, opalina, barnizable, chip, foamboard). In addition to product distribution, CAPPA provides value-added services including roll rewinding (up to 72 inches), roll-to-sheet conversion, and professional blade sharpening for guillotines, rewinding machines, and saw blades.

Product overview

CAPPA S.A. is a paper and cardboard import/export company serving Costa Rica's lithographic market with a comprehensive portfolio of paper products and cardboard materials, complemented by specialized conversion services. The product line includes: Bond paper (55-120gsm), Kraft paper, Thermal paper (70gsm+), Couche paper (90-350gsm), Newsprint (45-60gsm), and Self-copying paper (55-90gsm). Cardboard offerings include Duplex (caliber 14-22), Varnishable cardboard (caliber 10-20), Bristol cardboard (150gsm), Manila cardboard (40-300gsm), Opalina cardboard (230-250gsm), Chipboard (40-100gsm), and Foamboard (5mm). Services include roll rewinding (up to 72 inches/1.8m), blade sharpening (HSS and tungsten carbide), and roll-to-sheet conversion. The company exports to Central America and Panama, positioning itself as a regional leader in paper distribution.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Papel Bond
• Papel Kraft
• Papel Térmico
• Papel Couche
• Papel Periódico
• Papel Autocopiativo
• Cartulina Duplex
• Cartulina Barnizable
• Cartulina Bristol
• Cartulina Manila
• Cartulina Opalina
• Cartón Chip
• Foamboard
• Servicio de Conversión (Roll-to-Sheet Conversion)
• Rebobinado de Rollos (Roll Rewinding)
• Afilado de Cuchillas (Blade Sharpening)

Quantifiable outcome

• Cappa S.A. exports approximately 30% of its products to Central America and the Caribbean under the Perfeccionamiento Activo regime.
• +2 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• PROCOMER (Promotora del Comercio Exterior de Costa Rica)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2006PROCOMER administers the Perfeccionamiento Activo (Active Perfectionment) customs regime that allows Cappa S.A. to suspend import duties for one year and receive total duty exemption on exported goods. This government partnership, established in 2006, has been instrumental in enabling Cappa to export 30% of its products to Central America and the Caribbean, positioning the company as a key regional exporter.
• FedrigoniminorOthersFedrigoni is listed among the mill partners/suppliers of Cappa S.A., as evidenced by the mention of 'Fedrigoni' on the Cartulina Opalina product page, which describes Fedrigoni's Opalina cardstock as a premium product offered by Cappa S.A. This represents a supplier relationship rather than a formal partnership.
• Molinos (various paper mills)minorOthersCappa S.A. maintains a broad network of paper mills and suppliers worldwide. The company showcases logos of various mills on its website footer, indicating established supplier relationships that enable the company to source a wide variety of paper types and qualities.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Klabin: Brazil's largest paper producer and exporter, producing kraftliner, paperboard, and corrugated packaging. Comparable as a Latin American paper incumbent whose product mix overlaps CAPPA's kraft and paperboard distribution portfolio.
• International Paper: World's largest pulp and paper producer with global operations including Latin America. Represents the broad-incumbent benchmark CAPPA competes against on the supply side and on large regional accounts.
• CMPC: Chilean pulp and paper company with diversified operations across Latin America producing pulp, paperboard, tissue, and packaging products. Comparable as a regional Latin American paper incumbent competing in similar end-markets.
• Copamex: Mexican paper manufacturer producing printing and writing papers, paperboard, and corrugated packaging with regional Latin American distribution. Comparable as a regional paper incumbent operating in an adjacent Latin American geography.
• Smurfit Kappa: Global paper-based packaging leader with significant operations across the Americas, including Central America. Provides the broader packaging/paper context in which CAPPA's kraft and paperboard products compete at the higher-value end.

Regional players

• Grupo Gondi: Mexican paper and packaging group producing recycled containerboard, corrugated packaging, and folding cartons with Latin American operations. Comparable as a regional paper and packaging player whose product mix overlaps CAPPA's kraft and paperboard distribution.

Direct peers

• Inapa: European paper merchant and distributor with operations in Iberia (Portugal/Spain) and Africa, providing printing papers, packaging materials, and converting services. Closely matches CAPPA's distribution-plus-customization business model in a different but adjacent geography.
• Igepa: Germany-headquartered paper distributor with European, Asian, and South American presence, offering printing papers, packaging substrates, and converting services. Operates a similar distribution-plus-value-added-services model serving commercial print and packaging customers.
• Antalis (KPP): Global paper and packaging distribution group offering converting, cutting, and custom services across Europe, the Americas, and Asia-Pacific. Operates the same hybrid distribution-plus-conversion model as CAPPA at much larger scale, making it the most direct international comparable.

Others

• Fedrigoni: Italian specialty paper producer (and an existing CAPPA supplier for Opalina cardstock). Relevant as an upstream supplier partner whose premium positioning in cardstock parallels CAPPA's higher-margin distribution lines.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/cappasa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cappa-s-a
• Instagraminstagram.com/cappa_sa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 CAPPA S.A.