A year into the transformation initiated in mid-2024, adapa Group’s CEO Noël Kasmi and Head of Group HR Aránzazu Salguero Cruz reflect on the Group’s journey and the road ahead.
Noël Kasmi, looking back to mid-2024, what was the situation when you took over as CEO of adapa Group?
Noël Kasmi:
When I joined the company in June 2024, we were – and still are – in the midst of an industry-wide transformation with a changing regulatory landscape. This leads to uncertainty and high expectations on the part of our customers. In the future, packaging solutions will have to fulfil a variety of requirements at the same time, they should be recyclable, efficient and machine-compatible and, of course, protect the product packed.
In addition, the adapa brand had only just been launched at Fachpack 2022 and we still had to sharpen our brand’s positioning on the market and our brand identity. A targeted transformation process was needed to remain competitive in the long term. The conditions for this are promising, as the adapa Group has considerable potential.
After one year at adapa, what stands out the most to you?
Aránzazu Salguero Cruz:
adapa brings everything needed to achieve sustainable success. We combine the strength of a leading European packaging group with the customer focus and hands-on support of a local provider. Our portfolio is impressively diverse – ranging from ultra-thin high-performance films to innovative paper-based solutions. Behind this lies our deep expertise across the entire value chain of flexible packaging: from extrusion to printing and converting. The true backbone to our success are our experienced and energetic people. I am very proud of what we have achieved together, thanks to their strong commitment.
In just one year, we have laid a solid foundation to unlock our full potential and drive sustainable growth. Our European leadership team consists of experienced professionals who streamline processes and align all activities toward shared goals. Equally important: we have the strong backing of our stakeholders, who are confident that flexible packaging has a promising future.
Noël Kasmi:
This firm support is reflected in the ongoing updates and enhancements of our technological capabilities. Organic growth is central to our strategy. Recently, we installed a state-of-the-art printing press and plan to introduce another still this year, underscoring our dedication to leveraging cutting-edge technology and a variety of capabilities. With investments of this kind, we are constantly adapting to the rapidly changing market and evolving product requirements. Our strategic flexibility is a great advantage here.
How does adapa’s history shape its role on the market today?
Aránzazu Salguero Cruz:
The adapa Group originated from a group of family-run businesses whose roots date back to the 19th century. Today, we are on the path to becoming “one adapa” – with a unified corporate culture, a clear brand identity, and a customer-centric organisation. This means we not only have a long history, but also combine deep expertise with a wealth of experience. Many of our customers have been with us for generations, and we have continuously evolved alongside them. Numerous employees have been part of the company for over 30 years - which shapes our extensive know-how. We value this profound expertise and their customer-focussed approach very much.
Even though the packaging industry can sometimes feel a bit old-fashioned, with processes and machines that are in some cases older than I am, I am truly excited by the potential this industry holds, especially by the way adapa is embracing change and opening up new perspectives. adapa combines the best of both worlds, tradition and innovation: the reliability and experience of an established group with the drive and entrepreneurial spirit of a young brand.
How is adapa embracing digitalisation?
Noël Kasmi:
Digitalisation is a key driver of our transformation toward a leaner, more efficient, and increasingly automated production. Better utilisation of our equipment, optimised supply chains, and measurable efficiency gains can only be achieved through the targeted use of digital technologies.
A concrete example is the use of a digital twin at one of our sites in France. This is a virtual representation of our production environment that allows us to simulate various "what-if" scenarios, such as layout changes or process adjustments. What makes this special is that all of this happens without interrupting ongoing operations. This enables us to make well-informed decisions faster, enhance our competitiveness, and provide our customers with the assurance that we deliver reliable and continuous service.
What differentiates adapa from your competitors?
Aránzazu Salguero Cruz:
We have a clear understanding of who we are as a Group and what we stand for. It’s not about being a global giant, but rather an approachable, reliable partner. We focus on adapting to our customers’ needs. Our local presence in Europe ensures speed and customer centricity through cultural understanding – whether in Dutch, French, or even “Cheese.” One of our greatest strengths at team adapa is the heartfelt and pragmatic way we work together.
We master the entire value chain from extrusion through printing to converting while simultaneously driving digitalisation and automation forward in a targeted manner. This makes us a partner on equal footing, convincing both technically and personally.
Noël Kasmi:
Moreover, what sets us apart is our wide and diverse portfolio, crafted with expertise over decades. Take the cheese market, for example. We cover the full life cycle from ripening and transport to the point of sale and the consumer’s table, offering solid performance and convenient extras like reliable reclosure. Holistic solutions, such as our resealable thermoformed packaging - now also available as a full PP version - stand for functionality and design for recycling. The same applies to the confectionery market. Twist, fold, or seal – with our full portfolio, we easily provide our customers with the complete range they need, reducing complexity in their supply chains. The key to this advantage lies in our heritage of deep expertise, which we foster at each of our sites.
Is adapa ready for the PPWR (Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation)?
Noël Kasmi:
We are in the perfect position to guide our customers smoothly through this important transition. Our wide portfolio of Design for Recycling solutions, paired with our deep knowledge, provides the perfect foundation. Be it from plastic or paper, we offer high-performance solutions, always catering to the latest consumer trends. With our paper-based innovations, we have even achieved the demanding Cepi certificate Test Method 2, which we are convinced will become the future standard for paper recycling.
For non-contact sensitive hygiene products, we offer packaging solutions using up to 80% mPCR (mechanically recycled post-consumer recyclate) – already available on the market today – and we are prepared for further developments, with many of our sites being ISCC+ certified.
The evolution of the PPWR remains uncertain. It is crucial for our entire ecosystem to understand this. Based on our in-depth exchanges with all relevant partners in this network, we are confident that they will not deviate far from what we know today. Nevertheless, like everyone else in the market, we cannot guarantee full compliance with the PPWR in the future at this stage.
What we can say is that our teams are already fully preparing. We are tackling this key industry topic on many levels — from R&D to our technical application service. The new demand for “mono materials” requires close cooperation between packaging and machine manufacturers to ensure efficiency remains high and products are safely protected. Therefore, we test our films on various packaging line types and closely follow developments in the machinery industry to stay up to date.
What are your top priorities for the next few years?
Noël Kasmi:
We are on a transformation journey to become even more efficient and to serve our customers better. Customer-centricity and sustainability on various levels play a key role here. We are committed to developing our company structure and aligning our product portfolio with the PPWR requirements. This includes proactively supporting our customers with Designed for Recycling solutions and keeping them informed with the latest industry insights.
Our priority is to create a seamless and reliable customer experience. We aim to build long-term, sustainable partnerships, which is why we put our customers at the heart of everything we do.
Aránzazu Salguero Cruz:
We will also continue to optimise and enhance our service network to meet the evolving needs of both our customers and the market. This includes responding to trends such as paper-based packaging, while ensuring maximum efficiency on our customers’ packaging lines.
And last – but definitely not least – we are embracing “one adapa”. We are very proud of what our people have achieved until today and we know we can go far with their strong dedication.We recognise that the packaging industry is not always perceived as glamorous. However, we firmly believe that a strong team spirit, a commitment to resource conservation, and a growth mindset will continue to position adapa as an attractive place to work – inspiring and motivating the people who ultimately deliver value to our customers. With this renewed focus, we look to the future with excitement and confidence in the progress we will achieve together — with team adapa and our valued partners.
What will adapa look like in 2030?
Noël Kasmi:
By 2030, I envision a united adapa Group that embodies a shared spirit - adaptive, heartfelt, pragmatic. Our lean, agile, and cost-efficient production processes will allow us to meet customer needs like never before. We want to be the European partner of choice for flexible packaging solutions. With our clear strategy in motion, we aim to outperform market growth. No product, market, or regulation ever stands still — and neither do we. Our diverse portfolio, especially our Designed for Recycling solutions, positions us perfectly to support our customers with protective packaging that adapts to their needs.
Aránzazu Salguero Cruz:
We look to the future with confidence, because we trust in the agile spirit of our teams. As we say at adapa: “When you are adaptable, hurdles and problems are nothing more than puzzles not yet solved.” Adaptability is one of our company’s core values – so central, in fact, that it’s embedded in our name, which is derived from “adaptive packaging.” This adaptive mindset is what drives our transformation and opens the door to everything that lies ahead. We are convinced that we have built a strong foundation – and everything else will follow.