It was quite the year for Industrial Packaging. Between expanding our warehouse, launching new products, and meeting brilliant people at industry events, there’s been a lot happening. Now the year is coming to a close, we are looking back on highlights and thought we’d share these with you….
Infrastructure Growth That’s Made a Difference
Our Greystones Distribution Centre Gets Bigger
We’ve been banging on about warehouse expansion for the past two years, but 2025 was when it really came together. The Greystones facility – just seven minutes from our manufacturing plant in Bray – got a proper upgrade.
More storage space means we can keep larger stocks of high-demand products on hand. Simple as that. For our customers, this translates to faster deliveries and fewer “sorry, that’s on backorder” conversations. And because you can order smaller quantities more frequently, you’re not tying up your own warehouse space (or cash) in packaging stock. Win-win.
The expansion also gives us breathing room for growth. Some of our key accounts are scaling up rapidly, and we needed the infrastructure to support them properly. That’s what this investment was really about – making sure we’re ready for whatever comes next; in your business and ours.
New Team Member: Welcome Aldo Del Rio
Back in August, we brought Aldo Del Rio on board as our new Stores Supervisor. He’s taken charge of our distribution warehouse operations – everything from inventory management to making sure our “On Time, In Full” commitment actually means something.
Aldo came to us with solid warehouse experience, but what really caught our attention was his approach to optimisation. He’s already started introducing new technologies to streamline operations, and the results are impressive. When your orders show up when they’re supposed to, that’s largely down to Aldo and the stores team doing their job well.
Product Launches and Partnerships
CurTec ECO LITE Drums
CurTec’s ECO LITE drum range launched this year, and it’s been generating serious interest. These drums use 30% bio-based plastic combined with 70% fossil-based material – which might not sound revolutionary until you multiply it across thousands of units. Then the carbon footprint reduction becomes significant.
What’s clever is how they’ve redesigned the whole thing. Thinner walls, smoother lines, moulded handgrips instead of mounted handles. Less plastic, lower weight, reduced manufacturing energy. And they’re still UN certified for hazardous materials, which is the non-negotiable bit.
The integrated seal on the screw lid is another smart improvement – better moisture protection than the old rubber gasket design, backed up by ASTM testing. For anyone who’s dealt with moisture contamination ruining products, that matters.
46L Fold Pack Pail Joins the Range
CurTec also rolled out the 46-litre Fold Pack this year, complementing the existing 32-litre version. The square, tapered design maximises pallet efficiency – it’s basic geometry, really. Round containers leave gaps; square ones don’t.
The “fold and click” closure system is genuinely easier to use than traditional mechanisms. No wrestling with tight lids or complicated locking rings. Just press down, fold the handles, and you’ve got a tamper-evident seal. The nestable design means empty containers stack inside each other, which saves a ridiculous amount of warehouse space.
We’ve seen particular interest from pharmaceutical companies and food manufacturers. When you’re paying commercial rates for storage, reclaiming 30-40% of your warehouse space translates to actual money saved.
Schütz Products Expand
Our partnership with Schütz continued to grow this year. We’re now stocking their steel drums at our Bray distribution centre – both open-top and tight-head versions, UN certified for dangerous goods. The Steel Poly Composite Drum has been particularly popular for applications requiring chemical resistance combined with structural integrity.
The Schütz 220L F1 Tight Head Drum (antistatic version available) has seen increased demand, especially from pharmaceutical and electronics manufacturers. That conductive outer layer eliminates static discharge risks – which is critical when you’re handling flammable materials. The compression resistance of 25,000 N (roughly 2.5 tonnes) outperforms standard UN requirements by a considerable margin.
Making Cores Better
The Multiknife Winder: One Year On
Last year we introduced our state-of-the-art tube winding machine. After twelve months of operation, it’s transformed how we deliver heavy wall cores.
The dual-phase system – Phase 1 for reels and winding, Phase 2 for cutting – has cut lead times dramatically. What used to take days often gets done in hours now. The multi-knife unit cuts between blades for exceptional length accuracy, and we can change lengths without stopping the machine. That alone saves hours of production time.
Recently, one of our customers underestimated their core consumption and faced a crisis with their biggest client. Thanks to the new winder, we delivered a complete load of heavy wall, high-strength cores within 72 hours. That kind of rapid response wasn’t possible with our old equipment.
Sustainable Solutions Gaining Traction
V-Mark Fibre Drums for Lab Waste
We worked directly with the Irish Health & Safety Authority to develop V-marked fibre drums for hazardous waste transport. The investment in testing and certification was significant, but the result is a solution that’s more cost-efficient than steel or plastic alternatives whilst maintaining full compliance.
The weight difference creates ongoing savings that labs often overlook. Since disposal charges are calculated by weight, lighter drums reduce costs with every collection. And local manufacturing on the island of Ireland eliminates import costs and currency fluctuation headaches.
Wastepac Drums Making Economic Sense
We’re seeing companies that have relied on steel drums for hazardous waste asking harder questions about total costs. The Wastepac Drum weighs just 15kg empty compared to 25kg for steel. That 10kg difference saves money on every single collection, and they’re 25% cheaper to purchase in the first place.
The reinforced base allows use with drum compactors for maximum waste density. UN certified (UN 1G/Y151/S) for hazardous waste transport. Sometimes the most sustainable choice is also the smartest business choice.
Industry Events and Recognition
BioPharma & Life Sciences Connected Live
Rob Lee, Keith O’Toole, and Aisling Reynolds represented us at the Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa in Cork. Stand 62 proved to be an excellent spot for networking with established customers and connecting with potential new clients.
The event attracted impressive attendance – industry leaders, innovators, and key decision-makers from across the biopharmaceutical and life sciences sectors. We’ve already secured the same stand location for 2026.
National Manufacturing & Supply Chain Conference
Rob and Aisling manned Stand R11 at the RDS Simmonscourt. With 250+ exhibitors, 170+ speakers, and 8 themed stages over two days, it was definitely bustling. The conversations were valuable – everything from supply chain resilience to digital transformation and workforce development.
Keith Barry’s performance was a talking point, and the panel discussions with Ivan Yates was very interesting, as you’d expect. The session with Dublin GAA legends Kevin McManaman and Dean Rock offered fascinatig perspectives on the type of teamwork that translatse well to business environments.
CurTec Distributor Day – And an Award!
We attended CurTec’s Distributor Day in Breda on 18th October. Getting face-to-face time with partners from different corners of the world, and swapping stories, sharing ideas, getting honest feedback – that’s what keeps everyone moving forward.
And we walked away with the Launch Partner 2025 Award, which was genuinely unexpected and very much appreciated. CurTec shared their 2030 strategy at the event, and with Ampersand’s investment backing them, there’s definite momentum building.
Educational Content That Helps
We continued publishing practical guides throughout 2025:
Understanding IBCs – Our two-part series covered components, labelling, inner bottles, and screw caps. Real-world information that helps customers make informed decisions about IBC specifications.
Preventing Cardboard Core Crush – Irish manufacturers told us how core failures bring production lines to a halt. We explained what causes crush, the real costs involved, and practical prevention measures. Storage away from loading bay doors alone can reduce failures by up to 80%.
Fibre Drums for Sustainable Storage – We broke down the environmental advantages, cost-effectiveness, and versatile applications across industries. The cylindrical shape provides ideal storage for wires and cables, whilst pharmaceutical and food sectors benefit from the adaptability.
Looking at the Numbers
Capacity increased by 25% with two Multiknife winders operating alongside our single knife machines. This mitigates breakdown risk whilst improving OTIF delivery performance. Splicing issues dropped by 90% thanks to the top-of-the-range reel stand and festoon system.
Our warehouse expansion in Greystones has enabled 30-40% space reclamation for customers switching to more efficient packaging solutions. Reduced transport costs through better pallet utilisation, and faster order fulfilment from local stock availability.
What’s Coming in 2026
We’re not slowing down. The All Ireland Food & Beverage Manufacturing Conference & Exhibition is already in the diary. Our BioPharma presence continues with Stand 62 booked for next year’s event. And we’ll be back at the National Manufacturing & Supply Chain Conference on 27-28 May.
Product development continues with CurTec – there are some interesting innovations in the pipeline that we’re looking forward to introducing into the Irish market. The Schütz partnership keeps expanding, with more product lines being added to our distribution centre stock.
The People Behind It All
None of this happens without the team. From Noel (approaching his 50-year milestone with Industrial Packaging – yes, fifty years!) to Aldo who joined us in August, it’s the people who make Industrial Packaging work.
Our DGSA certified technical sales team has been busy helping customers navigate UN packaging requirements, dangerous goods regulations, and product selection. The manufacturing crew in Bray keeps production running smoothly. The stores team ensures orders go out on time and in full.
Wrapping Up
2025 was about building capacity, launching products that solve real problems, and staying connected with the manufacturing community. We expanded our warehouse, strengthened partnerships, brought new solutions to market, and supported customers with practical guidance.
The packaging industry keeps evolving. Sustainability requirements get stricter. Supply chains remain challenging. Customer expectations rise. But that’s what makes it interesting. Finding solutions that work commercially whilst meeting environmental goals – that’s the sweet spot we’re always aiming for.
Thanks to everyone who’s been part of our 2025 story – customers, suppliers, partners, and of course, our hard-working team. Here’s to 2026.