Kite Packaging is an employee-owned UK packaging supplier, founded in 2001 with a vision to become the UK’s premier packaging supplier through employee ownership and customer-focused service. The company supplies a wide range of packaging products and solutions, including boxes, postal packaging, pallet wrap, tapes, bags, labels, protective packaging, machinery and environmental compliance support.
What does your role involve on a day-to-day basis?
My role is about making sure Kite continues to deliver for customers while staying true to the culture that has shaped the business from the beginning. That means looking at the bigger picture, supporting our teams, investing in the right areas and making sure we keep improving how we work.
Packaging is a fast-moving industry. Customers need products quickly, but they also need advice, reliability and solutions that work in real operations. A big part of my role is making sure we are not just supplying packaging, but helping customers solve problems in their warehouses, packing lines and supply chains.
How would you explain the Kite Packaging culture?
Kite is an employee share-owned business, and that makes a real difference. The people serving customers also have a genuine stake in the company, so there is a strong sense of ownership, responsibility and pride in doing things properly.
Our culture is practical, customer-focused and entrepreneurial. We encourage people to take responsibility, understand the customer’s challenge and find a better way of doing things. That has been central to Kite since it was founded in 2001.
How does this culture assist your clients’ requirements?
Customers want speed, consistency and expertise. Because our people are invested in the business, they care about the outcome. That helps us build stronger relationships and offer a more joined-up service. For a customer, that can mean anything from finding a more suitable box size to reducing plastic use, improving pallet stability or making a packing process faster. The culture matters because good packaging advice often comes from people who are close to the customer and understand the detail.
Do you have direct contact with customers and get involved in developing solutions?
Yes, customer contact remains very important. We work with businesses across a wide range of sectors, and many have complex requirements. Some need a simple stock packaging solution, while others need bespoke packaging, machinery, audits or support across multiple sites.
The best solutions usually come from understanding how the customer works. What are they packing? How quickly do they need to pack it? Where is it going? What damage issues are they seeing? Once you understand that, you can recommend packaging that improves protection, cost, storage and efficiency.
Tell us how Kite Packaging is growing in the UK.
Kite has continued to grow by focusing on service, availability, and expertise. We have locations across the UK and support customers nationally, from smaller ecommerce businesses to large multi-site operations. Growth for us is not just about selling more products. It is about developing people, improving systems, expanding product ranges and helping customers respond to new pressures in packaging and logistics.
What makes Kite Packaging unique in your industry?
Our employee share-ownership is a major point of difference. It creates a different kind of relationship with customers because our people are directly connected to the success of the business.
We also combine a very broad product range with technical support. Customers can buy everyday packaging online, but they can also access more specialist advice around load retention, in-box protection, machinery, bespoke packaging and compliance.
What solutions do you offer customers?
We offer packaging for products going inside and outside the box: cardboard boxes, postal packaging, cushioning, pallet wrap, tapes, labels, bags, strapping, paper products, machinery and more. We also support customers with packaging audits, product advice and environmental compliance through Kite Environmental Solutions.
That combination is important because customers increasingly need joined-up support. A warehouse might need to reduce damage, cut waste, speed up packing and prepare for changing regulations all at the same time.
What sectors do these clients work in?
We support a wide range of sectors, including ecommerce, retail, food and drink, manufacturing, logistics, fulfilment, automotive, healthcare and industrial businesses.
The common theme is that all these sectors need packaging that protects goods, controls cost and keeps operations moving. The exact solution varies, but the pressure points are often similar.
How can your solutions help?
Good packaging can make a measurable difference. It can reduce product damage, improve pack speed, save storage space, reduce material use and create a better customer experience.
For example, choosing the right void fill or box size can reduce movement in transit. Better pallet wrap and load retention can improve pallet stability. Machinery can help reduce manual processes and improve consistency. These changes may look small, but across a busy warehouse they can have a major impact.
How future-proof and flexible are your solutions?
Flexibility is essential. Customer demand changes, product ranges change and regulations continue to evolve. Our role is to help customers choose packaging that works now but can adapt as their business changes.
That might mean recyclable alternatives, lower-material options, packaging machinery, bespoke designs or support with compliance. The future of packaging is about using the right material in the right place, rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach.
What new services or solutions are you offering for 2026?
A key focus for 2026 is helping customers improve efficiency and prepare for regulatory and operational change. Extended Producer Responsibility remains a major topic for UK businesses, and Kite Environmental Solutions supports companies through packaging compliance with one-to-one help and packaging expertise from within the Kite Packaging Group. (Kite Packaging)
We are also continuing to develop products and services that support warehouse efficiency, product protection and more sustainable packaging choices.
What do you see as the biggest opportunities in the coming year for Kite Packaging?
The biggest opportunity is helping customers take pressure out of their operations. Warehouses are dealing with rising expectations around speed, cost, sustainability and accuracy. Packaging touches every one of those areas.
Businesses are looking more closely at the total cost of packaging, not just the unit price. That creates opportunities to show how better packaging choices can improve the whole operation.
What are the biggest challenges facing Kite Packaging and the wider industry?
The industry must balance cost, performance, availability and sustainability. Customers want to reduce waste and improve environmental performance, but packaging still must protect the product and work in the real world.
Another challenge is education – there is a lot of noise around packaging materials, so customers need clear advice on what is practical, compliant and genuinely beneficial.
Tell us about a recent project Kite Packaging was involved with.
A good example is the ongoing work we do with customers reviewing pack performance. Often, the project starts with a simple question: why are products being damaged, why is too much material being used, or why is the packing process slowing down?
By reviewing the full packing process, we can identify changes that improve protection and efficiency. That might include a new box style, better void fill, pallet wrap improvements or machinery.
Do you cover the whole of the UK?
Yes. Kite supports customers across the UK through its online service, regional distribution centres and national account support. Customers can order packaging online, speak to the team for advice or work with Kite on more detailed packaging projects.
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