“Year 2018 was tough, but we were able to take on the challenges by strengthening our operations and further expand as well”, Sherif Assran CEO of Corys Packaging tells Kaunain Shahidi of Packaging MEA
Established since 1976 with an unique heritage that shapes the way, Corys Packaging conducts its business today as a holding company for Emirates Technopack LLC and Kangaroo Plastics LLC
with operation in Dubai and Hungary servicing the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Europe markets. The company has over 40 years of packaging experience offering a wide range of packaging solutions. On the extrusion front, the company deploys 16 state of the art Extrusion lines using mono and multi-layer blowing technology. its latest addition is the a 9-layer blown film
technology from W&H Germany to produce high barrier and specialty films line (the 1st installation in the Middle East).
The company also has the state of the art flexible packaging print and converting facility with state-of the art Rotogravure printing, Flexo printing, Extrusion, Lamination, Lacquering, Lidding, Slitting, In-house artwork department plate making & auto-mounting and bag making facility.
INTERVIEW
Generally, confidence and growth within the packaging and allied industries have remained low for quite some time now and is just starting to edge back up. What is Corys doing differently to its customers to bolster confidence?
Corys Packaging understands the importance of the packaging quality and role in supporting
the customers’ brand recognition and consumer confidence, and hence our mission statement is all about creating safe and rewarding experience for our customers’ customers. This statement is practiced in our innovation and initiatives offerings to our customers seeking value creation for them, in our quick response to their demands, and in our overall strive to consistently meet and exceed their expectations.
As a leading regional flexible packaging converter- printer-supplier, one, how do you look at 2018, the highlights and what could have been better?
2018 was a very tough year with unstable raw material prices that rose to double digit rates across all commodities. That exerted financial pressure on packaging
producers.
Market contractions?
Yes, that added to the challenge – the Gulf markets contraction, African markets currency devaluation, and immature competition reducing prices. But there was the European base, the recent investment in an extrusion line and of course the sustainability measures.
Despite the tough market conditions, Corys Packaging was very proud to have been able to bridge the economic conditions and achieve major steps in its growth plans. The European base launch was to offer on-time-in-full weekly service level to our
European multinational customers. The 9-layer extrusion line commissioned became the first in Middle East and Africa and is a part of Corys Packaging road map to lead the packaging development in the region.
On sustainability, Corys Packaging generated 10% of its electricity requirements
through solar renewable source and on target to source 20% of its electricity requirements through renewable green energy by end 2019.
What are the focal areas of your CORYS’ specialty and expertise within packaging?
Corys Packaging expertise and offerings are in flexible packaging know how that we developed over 43 years in business, coupled with our deep experience and knowledge of our customers processes and brand owners’ ambitions that help us to partner with them as a packaging solution
provider and not just a supplier. We also capitalize on some of our global suppliers sophisticated
know how and research laboratories to continuously pursue innovation in new products and new processing techniques.
Dwelling on flexible packaging print, what applications within it, flexo or gravure, has the maximum demand here in the Middle East and why?
The Middle East market was always a rotogravure market when it comes to sophisticated
artworks, and almost all regional packaging converters have been aligned in this direction. However, Corys Packaging complemented its rotogravure with diversification into latest
HD flexography printing and was able to gain and migrate to rotogravure artworks at the same time. Your immediate customers, brand owners, want functional packaging that preserves and protects, is portable, respects the environment, has shelf impact, communicates with the consumer for true differentiation.
How does Corys closely work with these highly demanding customers in accomplishing this challenging task collectively?
We definitely work closely with our customers to reduce the environmental impact. With our continuous investment in the latest technologies, we are able to provide optimum balanced packaging designs that enable down-gauging, replace aluminum and metalised substrates with recyclable barrier films, and many other initiatives.
What was the most difficult dilemma Corys faced in 2018?
Absorbing the raw material price increases and the full cost of mitigating supply risks (example inbound and outbound air freight), and not passing or sharing these costs with our customers. Corys Packaging believes in this sacrifice for the bigger win in pursue of customer satisfaction.
What kind of year is 2019 going to be?
The market outlook for 2019 is even more challenging, however Corys Packaging has built in
plans including new innovations, new product offerings and further geographic expansion
to create more value for our customers and stakeholders.
Corys has invested recently in a 9-Layer Extrusion Line from W&H. Can you brief us about this investment?
The Middle East packaging development market has been very traditional, and needed a strong player to revolutionise the industry, and offer more sophisticated packaging solutions that extend the product shelf lifetime, use of recyclable substrates eliminating aluminum and metallisation for barrier properties, and many others.
Was there a gap in the market?
Yes, we identified that gap and decided to take the lead to uplift the technology and product offerings in the region in line with latest trends and developments
in North America and Europe. Our investment in a state of the art 9-layer co-extrusion will
enable us to achieve the above and upgrade the market and develop better
barrier properties packaging solutions creating value for the extended supply chain and reduce the environmental impact.
What applications are you looking at with this specialised extrusion line?
We have embarked on several product lines, some of which are being launched as a start as transparent barrier films with very low oxygen and air permeability replacing metalised and aluminum-based substrates, UHQ films that offer better mechanical properties with
lower microns replacing traditional substrates, SVP (skin vacuum pack) for extended shelf lifetime of fresh products, and more shelf appealing aesthetics.
Why W&H in particular? What special features and benefits do you find in this technology and
company and against the others?
W&H are a leading German technology in the industry with attention to details and adherence to highest standards. Their offerings are in line with Corys Packaging values when it comes to excellent quality, high reliability at optimum efficiency. We basically don’t cut corners in raw materials or processes, as our reputation and customer confidence are not to be
compromised.
Can you brief us about a couple of innovations Corys has accomplished with reference to flexible
packaging in the recent past?
We have launched several tailored-made innovations but to name a few – UHQ film variants targeting the pasta industry offering a stronger puncture resistant pack at 30% reduced gauge, transparent barrier film that replaces traditional metalised film for snacks and cereal bars, 35% down-gauged shrink film with same mechanical and tensile strength properties.
In terms of technology, what sets Corys apart from other flexible packaging converters
printers?
Apart from technology, at Corys Packaging, we deploy as mentioned above, out-of-the-box packaging solution solutions, our agile decision-making with customer satisfaction at top priority, our shareholders are very enthusiastic to invest behind revolutionizing the industry to create value for our stakeholders. Our people are committed to make a change and offer a rewarding experience to our customers and our customers.’