Transit packaging firm looking to international market

DS Smith was obliged to divest Tri-Wall UK to comply with an EU competition commission requirement following its acquisition of the SCA Packaging business.

DS Smith and Tri-Wall Ltd of Hong Kong agreed to transfer the ownership of the DS Smith Tri-Wall corrugated packaging business in Monmouth, including the Dutch sales office, to Tri-Wall Ltd. This was completed at a ceremony in Monmouth last month.

Tri-Wall UK sales manager Phil Rees sees advantages in the transfer of ownership, particularly in how the firm supports major multinational clients.

“This will allow us to support customers globally in a more effective way. We already have a very large presence in East Asia and India but we’re also developing a presence in the Middle East and Turkey. 

“We are joining the network from east to west. Where we are already present we can support our customers better and as our principals win business in new countries we can go where they need us. For example, if one of our customers moving into the Czech Republic, we’ll make sure we have an operation in that country to support them.”

Rees sees this ambitious and proactive approach to supporting customers playing well to the company’s key strength of adding supply chain value, as opposed to simply providing packaging products.

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“The Tri-Wall product is strong but understanding the full value chain for the customer is what counts. It’s not just about the packaging, it’s about the whole supply chain and ways we can increase efficiencies and lower costs.”

As well as seeking to understand the customer’s packaging requirement, Tri-Wall drills down to the customer’s suppliers to see how products are being sent to them and how they are being handled. It also looks ahead to the end customer to see how products are being handled at that point. The aim is to spot opportunities to enhance efficiency.

“One example is Stannah Stairlifts,” explains Rees. “We had to look at changing away from Expanded Poly Styrene (EPS) so we reduced the size of the packaging. We reduced the space required for stockholding and freed space on the production line. With the EPS, they could only hold 10 products on the line, whereas with our flatpack, they could hold 100 or more. The move also reduced transport and logistics costs and the disposal of the product was easier for the end customer because it was made from carton board and had no EPS.”

Seeing strong business opportunities across a variety of sectors, but particularly in automotive where exports are booming, Tri-Wall provides a variety of transit packaging solutions. It is primarily known for its corrugated products but also supplies plastic and composite ranges, as well as single trip and returnable solutions.

The firm also plans a push on its FlowPack range of bulk liquid packaging products.

Rees concludes: “We are now a very different business, we are much more focused on expansion, but not for its own sake – when we feel we can add value to our customers.”