Creating a packaging legacy

It soon became apparent that these acquisitions form part of a much larger plan to elevate an already successful corrugated packaging operation to a market-leading position.   

‘My father started Pride-Pak in 1989, producing plain corrugated boxes for a handful of friends and local business contacts,’ remarks Yagnesh. ‘With a combination of entrepreneurial flair, old fashioned hard work and a commitment to service excellence, he slowly grew the business, offering printed and plain packaging in various shapes and sizes.’  

By the time Yagnesh joined the business in 2001, Pride-Pak was firmly on the map, and night shifts were required to keep ahead of multiplying orders.

‘In 2005, we moved to our current custom-built premises,’ Yagnesh relates. ‘Finally having the resources and space to make some strategic investments, we set about serving our South African customers with top-grade corrugated products, single-face board, edge protectors and consumables.’

Two years ago, Yagnesh commenced Pride-Pak’s ISO 9001 accreditation process and in 2012 headed an internal team to achieve full SABS certification. ‘Our QC system and ISO procedures have become part of our daily lives. Instead of just paying lip service to industry requirements, we’ve driven every procedure from within, developing thorough and specific quality management principles. Our customers realise we go the extra mile because we’re invested in their businesses and understand their specific needs. As a result, we’re now a preferred supplier for some of South Africa’s leading brands,’ he claims.

Creating a value proposition

As Yagnesh attests, rebranding is an ongoing process and the Pride-Pak team is setting the benchmark in improved board grades and packaging design. And a recently-established Design & Development Centre allows for value chain processes to be explored and evaluated.

Yagnesh enlisted the experts at Beswick Machinery to provide a tailor-made Cimpack packaging design and die-making package, complete with the latest Zünd S3 digital cutting table, the first of its kind in South Africa.

‘Cimpack is a powerful yet flexible and easy-to-use packaging design program, containing an extensive library of corrugated and carton standards as well as a mix-and-match facility that allows fast generation of customised solutions to suit any packaging requirement,’ explains Bruce Beswick, director of Beswick Machinery. ‘Once approved, the design is output to the new Zünd S3, which cuts and creases the sample. Within seconds, the customer can be holding an exact prototype.’

The Zünd S3 is much more than just a sample machine. It’s also designed for full-scale production of short-run or urgent orders, further improving Pride-Pak’s flexibility and service levels. 

‘Efficiency is important in all aspects of our business. From building design to operations, and from health and safety to R&D, we have the best processes in place,’ adds Yagnesh. ‘Our customers can rely on us to maintain a world-class manufacturing site. In summary, we’re a solutions-orientated company that consistently drives development. By 2015, we’re aiming to position Pride-Pak as the most innovative converter of top-quality packaging through our advanced technology and professionally-trained team.’

Pride-Pak Packaging
T +27 011 8301607
www.pridepak.co.za

Beswick Machinery
T +27 011 4332686
www.beswick.co.za