Kite Packaging is an employee share-owned UK packaging supplier, founded in 2001 with a vision to become the UK’s premier packaging supplier through employee share-ownership and customer-focused service. The company supplies a wide range of packaging products and solutions, including boxes, postal packaging, pallet wrap, tapes, bags, labels, protective packaging, machinery and environmental compliance support.
How would you explain the Kite culture?
The biggest difference is that everyone works for each other. We are powered by employee share-ownership, so the people making decisions, serving customers and improving the business all have a genuine interest in how Kite performs.
That creates a strong sense of responsibility. People understand that the quality of the service we provide, the products we develop and the decisions we make all matter. It is not a business where success only benefits a small group at the top; everyone has a stake in it.
I think that encourages people to care more, take ownership and look for better ways of doing things. It has been a central part of Kite since the business was founded.
How does this culture assist your clients’ requirements?
Because everyone is invested in the business, customer satisfaction carries real weight. If a customer has a problem, whether that is product availability, damage in transit, an inefficient packing process or simply needing the right packaging quickly, our people want to solve it properly.
That means every task matters. We want customers to receive the best possible service because the success of the customer and the success of Kite are closely connected.
It also helps us stay responsive. The people closest to customers understand what is happening day to day and can feed that back into how we improve our products, service and systems.
What makes Kite unique in your industry?
Employee ownership is a major part of it, but I would also say we are not afraid of investment, change or innovation.
Packaging is constantly evolving. Customer expectations change, new regulations emerge and warehouses are always under pressure to improve efficiency. We believe you have to keep moving with that.
Our management structure is relatively flat, which helps us remain agile. If we see an opportunity to improve a product range, invest in machinery, develop a new service or respond to a customer need, we can act quickly.
We combine that mindset with a very broad packaging offer, so customers can come to Kite for everyday consumables as well as more specialist products, machinery, packaging advice and environmental compliance support.
What solutions do you offer customers?
We cover the essential packaging products businesses use every day, including boxes, tapes, pallet wrap, bags, postal packaging, protective packaging, labels and machinery.
We are also continually developing the range. One of our latest introductions is our new refuse sack range, which we are particularly excited about. We have worked hard to make the range extremely competitive on price while giving customers an option for virtually every application.
Businesses can choose from different sizes and strengths depending on what they are disposing of and the environment they are working in. The aim is simple: whatever the requirement, there should be a suitable refuse sack in the range.
Another recent addition is our honeycomb protective sleeving. It is a paper-based sleeve with a honeycomb structure that expands around the product to provide cushioning and protection.
It works particularly well for bottles, but it is much more versatile than that. It can also be used for vases, ceramics, candles, cosmetics and other products that fit within the sleeve. It gives customers a simple protective solution that is easy to store, quick to use and suitable for a wide range of applications.
What new services or solutions are you offering for 2026?
Those new product ranges are a good example of where our focus is. We are constantly looking at where customers have gaps, where we can offer better value and where a product can make packing or warehouse operations easier.
For 2026, that means continuing to strengthen our core packaging range while bringing in practical new solutions such as the refuse sacks and honeycomb sleeving.
We are also continuing to invest in the wider areas that matter to customers, including quality, environmental management, health and safety and compliance support. Packaging is not just about buying a box or a roll of film anymore. Customers increasingly want suppliers who can support the wider operation.
Tell us about a recent project Kite was involved with.
A recent project was strengthening our ISO certification. We moved to a UKAS-accredited certification body and added ISO 45001 for occupational health and safety alongside our ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certifications.
We are now certified to all three standards through the British Assessment Bureau, part of the Amtivo Group, and the project was completed one month ahead of schedule.
ISO 9001 supports our approach to quality management and continual improvement, ISO 14001 covers environmental management, and ISO 45001 formally recognises our approach to occupational health and safety.
For customers, the important part is independent assurance. Being certified through a UKAS-accredited certification body gives customers and procurement teams confidence that our processes have been assessed against recognised standards.
It can also help when customers are reviewing suppliers or working through tender and approval processes. For us, it demonstrates that quality, environmental responsibility and workplace safety are built into how we operate rather than treated as separate exercises.
What do you see as the biggest opportunity for Kite in the coming year?
The biggest opportunity is continuing to make life easier for customers.
Businesses are under pressure to control costs, improve efficiency, reduce waste and keep service levels high. Packaging has a role in every one of those areas.
If we can provide the right product at the right price, help a warehouse pack faster, reduce damage, improve protection or simplify procurement, then we are adding real value.
That is where our culture helps. We are always looking at what can be improved next, and because our people own the business, there is a shared interest in making those improvements work for the customer.
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