Reinventing CardPak

Under the leadership of President Tony Petrelli, CardPak has transformed from a commodity-based business to a dynamic supplier of printed packaging materials with sustainability advantages.

When a company is successful during recessionary times, it's usually no accident. The success often results from a combination of strong, focused leadership; teamwork and commitment; and lots of hard work—all directed toward a vision of what needs to be accomplished. This pretty much describes what has taken place at Solon, Ohio-based CardPak, Inc. during the last three years.

CardPak provides specialty paperboard converting and custom-engineered packaging solutions that use carded packaging. It offers a wide array of paperboard packaging products and formats that include blister cards, folding cartons, clamshell inserts, sleeves, skinboard, and specialty displays. Under the leadership of President Tony Petrelli, who took the reins of CardPak at the end of 2006, the company has been especially successful with the launch of its EcoLogical Line of Packaging™. This product line includes ClubPak™, SustainPak™, and ShelfPak™, all of which offer alternatives to plastic PVC clamshells.

CardPak's primary markets include cosmetics, personal care, healthcare, electronics and media, and high-end hardware. To service these markets, the company operates from one 70,000 sq. ft. facility with more than 115 employees. It runs three shifts, five days a week, and uses weekend shifts as needed for surge capacity, according to Greg Tisone, vice president and GM.

Its printing and converting capabilities revolve around Komori sheetfed offset presses (up to 8-color with UV perfecting units), off-line solvent coating, Bobst blanking diecutters, International gluers, and a brand new Bobst Visionfold folder/gluer installed this year. Tisone is especially proud to note that the company was able to pay cash for the new Visionfold. "We have also placed an order for a 40˝ 10-color KBA Rapida press that will be delivered in late October or early November," reports Petrelli.

CardPak works hard to be a distinctive supplier for its customers. "Our operating philosophy is to be quick to market as the low-cost producer of the highest quality products," says Jerry Lamm, the company's chief financial officer. "We distinguish ourselves with our excellent and responsive customer service approach, our knowledge of the sustainable packaging realm, our quality, and our quick production turnaround."

Transformation

CardPak's roots go back to 1965 when it was formed as a spin off from American Packaging Corp., focusing on skinboard manufacturing. Nine years later it entered the blister card market, and by 1990, sales reached $10 million a year, reports Petrelli.

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