How putting people first is driving Rohrer’s move from tactical packaging supplier to strategic partner
In the wake of the Covid surge, where retailers in the packaging industry spent 2023 and 2024 working through excess inventory, the market has become somewhat stagnant; according to Danny Teixiera, CEO of Rohrer Corporation (Rohrer), it simply hasn’t been as attractive to brands since the post-pandemic rush.
Yet, Rohrer, the world-leading packaging manufacturer, has grown regardless, with Danny crediting the priceless art of conversation and a focus on process discipline. “In my first six months as CEO, I made it a point to go out and meet with all our top customers. I was on the road constantly, sitting in front of customers and listening to their feedback.” After being appointed CEO around a year ago, he took their consistent comments onboard, and this has shaped the company’s direction ever since.
“Almost every customer I spoke to listed quality, delivery, and service – in that order – as being most important to them,” he relays. “So, when we really deliver on all of that competitively, our other capabilities become a large differentiator.” This outlook has earned Rohrer the privilege of being number one in blister packaging, folded cartons, and clamshell packaging. In addition, it has remained a leader in combo runs; the process of offering brands with smaller volumes the advantage of better pricing, faster lead times, and lower minimum order quantities. “When we print something or thermoform a product, we couple multiple brands together in one run, and the economies of scale are far more attractive,” Danny elaborates.
“On the plastic side of our Easy Combo offering, we’re continuing to introduce product lines that meet our customers’ sustainability needs.” One example, he highlights, is introducing ten and 20 mil RPET into Easy Combo. “Soon, you’ll see a post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic offering in Easy Combo. We do PCR plastic today, but more as a custom run. We’re also working closely with our supplier-partners on lightweight, high-performance paperboards that balance cost efficiency and sustainability. We’re really excited about the products coming onto the market, and we’re aiming to keep a balanced approach across sustainability, cost, and what a customer is ultimately looking for, while providing a superior customer experience.”
Rohrer has long described itself as a one-stop shop, or ‘concept to shelf’ company. “We needed to refine and unpack what that term actually means,” he explains. “We built a simple, streamlined process that allows customers to pick from a menu, asking questions like ‘Do you want us to carry out the design?’ ‘Do you want us to look at the plastic element of your package or just the paper element?’ ‘Do we need to be aware of any sustainability concerns?’ and ‘Do you use a co-packer or pack it out it yourself?’ We built an internal process that services all those elements, and we re-evaluated our value proposition. As one of the few packaging manufacturers that excels in high mix, and low-to-medium volumes across printed and thermoformed product, coupled with Rohrer’s world class co-packing and service offering, it’s crystal clear what Rohrer has to offer, and customers know exactly how they can use the different facets.”
Compared to traditional multi-vendor supply chains, this integrated model offers several benefits, including proximity to shipping points; with nine plants across North America, the company can usually produce items in the location closest to those customers, taking full advantage of Rohrer. “That alone reduces freight and CO₂ emissions from transportation,” Danny adds.
Furthermore, the vast amount of value streams operating in packaging today means they must merge at the co-packer, along with bulk-packed products, which Danny notes is increasingly complex. “Often, the printed packaging comes from one supplier and the plastic packaging from another. However, because Rohrer produces its own variety of both, it completely reduces the freight, transportation, and CO₂ emissions associated with that. Additionally, by controlling the value stream, we ensure that 100 percent of our waste byproduct is recycled. All our scrap – plastic and paper – goes back into the waste stream and, ideally, back into paper or plastic production. We’re extremely focused on circularity.”
Circularity is not the only aspect high on the firm’s agenda: the role of visual packaging is essential in helping brands and retailers stand out by catching the eye of the consumer, protecting the product throughout shipping and retail, driving operational efficiency, and sustainability. “Visual packaging plays a number of critical functions, and over the next five years, you’ll see a continued evolution with new designs and materials that may not be the norm today but may be in five years,” Danny says. “Sustainability will remain integral within the industry, but this will be balanced against other important elements for packaging buyers and brands. While there will always be a need for visual packaging, it will evolve from the way we do it today. We’re thankful to be a part of shaping what that looks like.”
In 2027, Rohrer will continue to build its ethos around customer obsession. “Keeping the customer at the forefront and refining how we become a stronger strategic partner will remain a top priority,” Danny confirms. The company has also made numerous select investments in technology and automation. “All this is being done with our customers in mind and serving them at the highest possible level. We want to focus on collaborating with customers as a trusted strategic partner with a seat at the design table – a company that works with its clients and allows them to access everything we offer for driving growth.”
Danny ends with a call-out to the people of Rohrer and their importance within the business. “We employ the most incredibly skilled professionals, be they press operators, manufacturing professionals, accounting and finance staff, or design engineers. I really am thrilled with the team we’ve assembled here over the last few years – they make all the difference, and none of this would be possible without them. Rohrer’s customer obsession would never come to fruition without the talented people we have here, and I’m excited about the great work that’s happening day in and day out.”
