January
The Red Sea crisis continued to disrupt global trade, including the polymer markets and UK manufacturing. Attacks on commercial vessels by Houthi rebels were forcing freight ships to abandon the Suez Canal and instead divert around the Cape of Good Hope. Thousands of miles were added to journeys, pushing up shipping costs and transit times.
Research by KPMG revealed that more than half of UK adults (54%) would boycott a company for greenwashing. But this was combined with scepticism (33%) and confusion (28%) relating to sustainability claims, and a struggle to navigate the wide range of eco labels on the market.
In Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging (EPR) news, Defra appointed Dr Margaret Bates as Head of the EPR Scheme Administrator. Dr Bates took up the role on secondment from her position as Managing Director of recycling label company OPRL (On-Pack Recycling Label).
At Actionpoint, we launched a monthly LinkedIn newsletter, called Actionpacked. The first issue explored our Design Insight packaging review service.
February
A triumphant stint at the Southern Manufacturing and Electronics Expo (6-8 February) saw our talented in-house designers create a stand made entirely from corrugated cardboard. It proved irresistible to visitors and prompted conversations, questions, and interest in all that bespoke packaging has to offer.
The Expo’s motto was Better, Greener, Leaner, Faster, and Smarter – and this became the focus of February’s Actionpacked newsletter.
This month, we were delighted to pass our annual Forest Stewardship Council® audit as an (FSC®) certified company (FSC®- C186587).
Our tree planting project with GreenTheUK continued apace.
In February, it was the turn of two primary schools from Valley Invicta Academies Trust. Pupils at Valley Invicta at Leybourne Chase, West Malling, planted 190 trees with a future Forest School area in mind. A short distance away, children from Valley Invicta at Aylesford planted 220 trees along the boundary between their playing field and the neighbouring secondary school.
With UK wages rising against inflation, many businesses were experiencing high staff costs and worker shortages. In response, we published a blog on how packaging can help to off-set this expense.
March
The European Parliament and Council reached a provisional agreement on the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR). The Regulation will set out requirements for packaging design and composition, and targets for packaging waste collection and recycling. When it eventually goes live, PPWR will replace the existing Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive (PPWD).
Plastic was in the spotlight thanks to Greenpeace and Everyday Plastic teaming up to run The Big Plastic Count 2024. It showed that UK households throw away an estimated 1.7 billion pieces of plastic a week, or 90 billion pieces per year.
We shared a case study on our collaboration with Switchee to improve their packaging’s carbon footprint. Together, we created a new design that uses less cardboard, increases palletisation efficiencies, and introduces recycled materials.
Palletisation is key to the smooth delivery of goods, so we published a blog outlining best practice for stacking and securing your pallet.
Sustainability was the theme of the March issue of Actionpacked. The newsletter gave insight on how businesses can save costs and reduce eco impact with bespoke packaging.
April
Plastic Packaging Tax increased, impacting businesses manufacturing or importing 10+ tonnes of plastic packaging per year. From 1st April, they must pay £217.85 (up from £210.82) per tonne of plastic packaging containing less than 30% recycled material.
The Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) was adopted by the European Parliament on 24th April. The new rules require all packaging placed on the EU market to be recyclable by 2030. Targets included a 5% reduction in overall packaging waste by 2023 (15% by 2040); and a minimum of 35% recycled content for non-contact-sensitive plastic packaging (50% by 2040). The European Council is expected to give its final approval of PPWR later in the year.
Actionpacked’s April edition was inspired by World Creativity and Innovation Day. As one of our core values, we bring creativity to every aspect of our work from customer service to problem solving to innovative design.
We shared a case study on our collaboration with Tillet Racing Seats. The project involved an Insight packaging review and an appointment at our Packaging Creation Lounge. The result was cost-effective and sustainable packaging, along with a major boost in efficiencies across the board from packing and storage to packaging admin.
This month, we posted a blog on Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging (EPR), including related schemes and timeline of activity.
May
The May issue of Actionpacked was all about growth in business and nature. Contents included Actionpoint’s 49th birthday and a new wildflower planting project with GreenTheUK to tackle Britain’s disappearing meadows.
We were thrilled to receive a bundle of letters from pupils thanking us for supporting tree planting in their schools.
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) was once again on our minds, with the 31st May deadline for 2023 packaging data submissions.
June
6th June was the 80th anniversary of D-Day, and we are proud to name veterans charity RBLI (Royal British Legion Industries) among our clients. In fact, we had the chance to visit their premises and see their extra special D-Day 80th anniversary collection. All items were made or fulfilled by veterans to raise vital funds for RBLI’s work assisting those in need.
For the first time, our team exhibited at Subcon, the UK’s biggest manufacturing supply chain show. It was a great success, with delegates from a variety of industries flocking to our bespoke, all-corrugated cardboard stand. Conversation topics included how a company’s packaging choices can impact the supply chain. So, we decided to write a blog about it.
We shared a case study on our work with John Cullen Lighting. The challenge was to create packaging that protected high quality goods while on the road, displayed the items to their full advantage on arrival, and had minimal eco impact.
‘Turn your packaging into a powerful marketing tool’ was the message of this month’s Actionpacked newsletter.
July
Our social media posts tapped into Plastic Free July, revealing plastic facts and figures, and plastic-free packaging alternatives. Added to this, our Actionpacked newsletter focused on how to move away from single-use plastics.
For Plastic Bag Free Day, we shared a photo of our team carrying Actionpoint tote bags.
Discarded plastic bags continue to make their way into our environment, so it’s not surprising that many countries have banned single-use plastic bags. The EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation will also veto very lightweight plastic carrier bags (with a wall thickness below 15 microns).
To mark Create Week, we gave a shoutout to our work experience student Alexis. She teamed up with our award-winning packaging designer Sam O’Neill, who said: “Alexis made a brand with a super cool logo, picked the products, developed the colour palettes and fonts, and even worked out how much to sell them for – and through which channels! Absolutely amazing work.”
August
A box is not just a box when you choose bespoke packaging rather than off-the-shelf. The August issue of Actionpacked highlighted the advantages of personalising your solution. Custom packaging couldn’t be easier with Actionpoint, as demonstrated by a video we posted on our social media platforms. With expert packaging designers and a state-of-the-art Packaging Creation Lounge – including a suite of design software, cutting-edge equipment, and a dedicated testing area – we have everything you need.
Our customer relationships are important to us, so we were proud to share a testimonial from Nutra Direct:
“Actionpoint has proven themselves to be extremely cooperative and friendly in finding solutions to our packaging concerns. Having a local supplier with the capacity and technology to both offer effective and tailored solutions has helped Nutra Direct resolve product design concerns across multiple SKUs. The onsite meeting and product assessments that our account manager, Ryan Gibbons, facilitates has been fundamental in both increasing the rate of both packaging and palletisation.”
September
Defra published illustrative base fees for year 1 of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for packaging. Figures included a range of EPR rates for paper and card of £135 (lower), £190 (intermediate), and £250 (higher) per tonne. But Defra stressed these are still just estimates. Final EPR fees won’t be released until after 1st April 2025.
As an FSC® certified company (FSC®-C186587), we were pleased to support FSC Forest Week and the 30th anniversary of the Forest Stewardship Council®.
September’s Actionpacked newsletter explored how businesses can avoid greenwashing and align with real-world sustainability efforts.
Our social media output included a reminder of the Competition and Markets Authority’s Green Claims Code. Businesses breaking the Code could be fined up to 10% of their worldwide turnover. Green claims must (1) be truthful and accurate; (2) be clear and unambiguous; (3) not omit or hide important relevant information; (4) compare goods/services in a fair and meaningful way; (5) consider the full life cycle of the product or service; and (6) be substantiated.
October
1st October was the deadline for large producers to submit their Extended Producer Responsibility packaging data for the period January to June 2024. Figures for July to December 2024 should be reported by 1st April 2025.
Internal Account Manager at Actionpoint, Patrick Lawlor, was involved in an event as part of his Higher Degree Apprenticeship Packaging Professional BSc course. He helped to host the annual ‘Packaging the Future: From Linear to Circular’ exhibition, which took place at Sheffield Hallam University.
Our in-house packaging designers never fail to impress, and we loved this year’s spook-tacular Halloween treat boxes. Sugar skull inspired designs opened at the mouths to reveal the delicious treats inside.
The possibilities for branding, creativity, and functionality really are endless with bespoke packaging, as outlined in October’s edition of Actionpacked.
November
We attended the Medway Business Awards in November, celebrating the very best in business success and innovation. While we didn’t take home the win, we were delighted to be nominated as finalists in our first year of entering.
With the price of corrugated cardboard on the rise in Q2 and Q3, we published a blog explaining the reasons why, as well as the steps you can take to protect your business.
This month’s Actionpacked newsletter shone a light on the two pillars at the heart of Actionpoint: creativity in packaging and respect for tradition.
December
On 16th December, the European Council formally approved the new Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation. However, there will be an 18-month grace period before enforcement begins.
We made it to the final of the Maidstone Business Awards in the category of Best Family Business. Although we didn’t take home a trophy this time, it was an honour to be recognised for our integrity, creativity, and commitment to thoughtful and sustainable packaging solutions.
On Christmas Jumper Day, we gathered the team for our annual Christmas meal and party – breaking out the festive songs, giant Jenga, and the ‘No mercy’ edition of the UNO card game.
At the end of another busy year, we like to take some time to reflect on all we have achieved.
So, here are some of our key company milestones for 2024:
- Average staff length of service: 7.6 years.
- Orders completed on time and in full (OTIF): 98.8%.
- Average time to answer the phone: 4 seconds.
- Average time to answer emails: 1 hour.
- New designs created for clients: 524.
- Appointments at the Packaging Creation Lounge: 45.
- Average length of customer relationships: 11 years.
- Revenue growth in the last 4 years: 94%.
All of this is because of our fantastic team and clients, and we would like to thank everyone for their unwavering support. It means the world to us, and we look forward to working with you again in 2025.
