RELEASE – Monday 25 March, 2024 

Australia’s leading national rigid packaging provider Plasdene Glass-Pak has acquired the business of Vinkem Packaging, the well-respected secondary packaging supplier, predominantly servicing the Australian wine industry, and beyond, from their Hunter Valley NSW location. 

Commencing from 3 April 2024, the merged entity will fall under the umbrella of Pearson Group Packaging (PG-P), proudly owned and operated, by two generations of The Pearson family. 

This union will bring together two great organisations, both with deep history in global packaging sourcing expertise. In addition to complementary product portfolios, markets served and capabilities, both are passionate family businesses with similar “Make-it-Happen” cultures and service-focused enterprise philosophies. 

Since Plasdene Glass-Pak’s incorporation as a “start-up” more than 36 years ago, the business has maintained a policy of reinvestment for future growth and prosperity, such that today PG-P is a world-class, seven-branch Distribution Centre network with supporting infrastructure across Australia. One of the driving forces of the business’ success, has always been to partner with like-minded companies. 

“Whilst I have known Paul Wootten, as a great supplier for around a decade, we are extremely proud that we can now bring his Vinkem Packaging business under the Plasdene Glass-Pak umbrella! We are extremely excited that Mat Wootten and the Vinkem Team will be coming on this journey with us, where we intend to give them all of the Plasdene financial-resource, infrastructure-support and marketing strengths, to take Vinkem to the next level, for the absolute benefit of our valued clients.” commented Ken Pearson, CEO of Plasdene Glass-Pak".

Built by Paul Wootten from the “ground-up”, Vinkem Packaging has been within Plasdene’s collaboration sphere for many years, as a supply partner. By now investing in Vinkem, a business and team that embodies the same hard work and family business values as Plasdene, it further enhances the performance of Plasdene Glass-Pak, delivering increased depth of range, supply lines and an exciting new product portfolio for its clients, solidifying Plasdene’s position as a one-stop packaging supply and service provider. 

“I doubt I could have found a better fit for Vinkem than Plasdene. Apart from the amazing opportunities it provides for both parties, the fact Plasdene is a family-owned business meant the world to me”, says Vinkem Packaging founder Paul Wootten.

For decades, Vinkem Packaging has been a major supplier of corrugated cartons and dividers. These days, they complement that offering by being specialists in premium, tailored solutions too. The range incorporates high-quality “showcase-style” secondary packaging, including industry and custom cardboard cartons, dividers and fittings; single, double and triple bottle carry packs; gloss display packs; custom wooden gift and hamper boxes; display stands; cardboard post packs and safety packaging. This sustainable range is also available with high-quality printing and decoration options. More information about Vinkem Packaging can be found at vinkempackaging.com.au 

"Vinkem has a huge amount of experience in the packaging industry. For me it’s 47 years selling LBB’s (little brown boxes), and now, 30 years of that concentrated on the wine industry. I’ve been lucky enough to have my son Mat working with me for the last 18 years, & he’s been a great student. There’s not much packaging wise that he doesn’t know, so he’s in a prime position to pick up and run with just about anything thrown at him. Partnering with Plasdene should provide all sorts of opportunities for Mat & the team to get their teeth into. (I might have to apply for a job as I’m getting excited about the prospects already!)” jokes Wootten. 

Existing Vinkem clients can now benefit from Plasdene’s industry-leading capabilities, including:- 

• An Australia-wide distribution footprint, spanning more than 35,000 square metres of warehousing with options to draw-down stock as required. 
• Private-family ownership and management, with continued focus on reinvestment in the business to help deliver customer growth, underpinned by strong external governance and corporate support services teams.
• Access to 10,000+ competitively priced product lines and a sophisticated local and global sourcing network, providing supply security and superior choice.
• Custom-designed packaging and project management capabilities, through our dedicated Business Development Unit team, at corporate level.
• Operational excellence with powerful, enterprise-wide IT infrastructure for real-time updates and enhanced order visibility.
• Freight, production and product supply buying power, across qualified vendors world-wide, to deliver deliver scaled, risk-averse supply chain and cost efficiencies.
• One-stop, high quality and world-class packaging solutions covering every industry category.
• Arguably, ANZ’s largest independent supplier of local and imported glass packaging, across all industry sectors. 

As part of the transition process, the Vinkem Packaging business and the energetic Vinkem team will relocate to the Plasdene Glass-Pak Hunter Valley branch from the first week of April, 2024. The integrated Packaging Plaza™ Showroom and Distribution Centre is located at 21 Spitfire Place, Anambah Business Park, Rutherford NSW 2320.

Although physically operating from the same location, in the immediate future the two businesses will continue to trade independently, such that transactions and business interactions with Vinkem Packaging should be considered ‘business as usual’. 

Asked about what the future of Vinkem Packaging might hold, Wootten assures “Vinkem is a fantastic little business, but with me bowing out it needed someone else to give it a boost. Plasdene is that boost & then some. To me, it’s the perfect match.” 

“Even in this challenging economic climate, our confidence in, and excitement for PG-P’s future is unwavering as we continue to invest in our growth, our success, and our continuity, which is now greatly enhanced with Vinkem joining our stable. We live by our ethos ‘Partner with us and Grow’, added Pearson. “Having just launched our new website at plasdene.com.au we know the time is right to really capitalize on our investments, and really demonstrate our capabilities on a global scale.”