The supermarket aisle without plastics

Can you imagine a shopping aisle without plastic pouches and bottles? We can; and it’s already happening! One pack at the time, Andreas and his colleagues are changing the supermarket hygiene aisle, providing consumers with sustainably packaged soap, laundry detergents, and fabric softeners.  

Andreas played a vital role in exploring how our cartons could be used for home and personal care products, resulting in the development of D-PAK™. The carton first hit the shelves in 2020, when Orkla – a leading FMCG* company in the Nordics –introduced new refill cartons for both its hand soap and laundry detergent on its brand, Klar.  

It was Andreas who first introduced to Orkla the idea of replacing their plastic packaging with fiber-based packaging solutions. In 2022, Orkla expanded it’s use of carton packaging to reduce plastic across numerous of its brands in the Nordics. Today, our D-PAK™ carton is used among multiple customers in Europe.  

What originally attracted you to work at Elopak?  

I stumbled upon an open position for a Key Account Manager close to where I live. At that time, I was working in the oil and gas sector, focusing on transitioning large industrial companies from oil to natural gas, and biogas. 

What resonated with me the most were the company’s sustainability profile and values. As a resource economist the concept of resource utilization has always been a key interest of mine. Joining a company that shared this value felt like the right step in my career journey. 

Can you explain your role at Elopak? 

As a Senior Key Account Manager, my role is two folded, I manage a portfolio of prospects and customers mainly in Scandinavia and the northern part of Europe, but also some global accounts. I am the main point of contact and manage their portfolio, which includes machinery, packaging, and technical aspects. 

Can you share what you’ve learned since joining the company? 

I’ve discovered that there’s an incredible wealth of expertise within this company, and the importance of curiosity and leveraging your network cannot be overstated.  

Although my primary role has always been as a Key Account Manager, I’ve consistently explored potential alternative uses for our carton. One of the first things I appreciated about the company was the professional environment. Being at the center of R&D and technical development is truly energizing – it’s where everything happens. 

Are there things you are especially proud of having done at Elopak, and why?  

One accomplishment that stands out is the development and introduction of the D-PAK carton to the market in 2020. This was a truly unique project. We worked closely with the customer to find the right packaging, tested different board qualities, and gained insights into the differences between liquid foods and soaps. We also adapted our filling machine to be capable of filling liquid soap and detergents. The entire process has been a learning experience and seeing the idea come to life is something I’m extremely proud of. 

Can you tell us a bit more about the development and introduction of D-PAK™? 

At Elopak, I have always been asking questions, exploring new possibilities, and pushing for innovation. And it was this mindset that made me venture into home and personal care in the first place.  

Early on, we started by experimenting with different soap mixtures and packaging. In the fall of 2018, I first pitched D-PAK™ to Orkla. We believed our product aligned well with their profile and our aspirations. This meeting kick-started a more concrete project, which involved creating more product samples and having focus groups test the concept. After overwhelming positive feedback from the test panel, we knew we had a successful product. We then moved on to further testing, and, through trial and error, adapted our existing filling machines to fill soap. 

If you were to recommend a friend to start working at Elopak, what would you say? 

I would emphasize the positive working environment. People tend to stick around here as the opportunities to explore are endless. Being a part of this company means having a significant impact and being part of something big. We are on a mission to replace plastics with cartons, one pack at the time. And that’s an important journey that I’m proud to be a part of. 

* Fast-Moving Consumer Goods