Our Packaging Technology Department currently comprises a team of three. However, that’s about to change – a fourth will be joining us soon, and we will be recruiting a fifth in 2026. Why the expansion? Which innovations and developments do we have in the pipeline, and what does this growth mean for the future? Packaging technologist Femke Bouman explains.
The Packaging Technology Department is part of the Vetico Innovation Center, which employs eight technical engineers and software engineers as well as the three packaging technologists. “As packaging technologists, we are the link between our account managers and customers on the one hand, and production on the other,” says Femke. “A customer may come to us with particular packaging requirements, so we examine the options with respect to materials, shape, dimensions and naturally, feasibility in production.”
New challenges
The department is growing as a result of an increase in requests. “These are coming from both our existing customers and new ones,” says Femke. “Full-service co-packing is also expanding, with an increasing number of customers wanting to outsource this process to us. In short: our customers are continuing to challenge us. We enjoy innovation projects the most. Especially when someone tells us, ‘this is not actually possible’; we at the Innovation Center are far too stubborn to accept that, and hearing it only gets us thinking even harder.”
Helping each other make progress
The role of packaging technologists is changing. Femke: “We function at our best as a partner. For example, we help customers to choose materials, achieve their sustainability ambitions and interpret new legislation such as the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR). For us, helping each other to make progress is what partnership is all about.”
smarter, more sustainably and cheaper”
Ongoing innovation
Our drive to innovate also keeps us moving. “We are continually exploring alternative materials, processing methods and new opportunities, such as using more mono-materials,” says Femke. “Our wet molding project is a great example, which involves using paper pulp for gift box inlays. It’s a strong, all-paper alternative to recycled PET material.”
Team-based specialist
Another goal for the future is to have an in-house packaging technologist at every production plant. Femke: “Implementing this role will help us to become even more familiar with our factory, processes and customers. It’s a more specialized role, but because we also work together as a team, the new setup will ultimately enable us to address customer challenges even better and faster.”
There from the start
Finally, we want to strengthen our partner role by engaging with the customers as early as possible in the process. Femke: “That early engagement stage is what we do best, as we look beyond just the packaging to seek efficiency throughout the production chain in matters such as pallet load factor, transportation and warehousing. Because we are familiar with the entire process, we know where things can be done smarter, more sustainably and cheaper. And that means we can grow together.”
