“The mushroom packaging lid was our father’s invention”

This year, Kolkman Verpakkingen from Hedel celebrates its fortieth anniversary. In 1985, Jan Kolkman Senior, together with his brother Bertus, founded Kolkman Thermoforming Wormerveer (KTW), using his technical knowledge of thermoforming to build the first machines entirely by himself. Not long after, his eldest son joined the business. Since 2007, sons Jan, Nico, and Gert have been at the helm, and today two members of the third generation are also active in the company.

Even before the sons officially took over, the company had already shifted away from building its own machines. "That has been the biggest change in all these years," Gert recalls. When his father started in 1985, Gert was still a little boy walking through the workshop and, like his brothers, quickly caught the packaging bug. "And the same goes for many colleagues—many of them have been part of the business for decades," he adds.

"We started with mushroom packaging back then—those growers were our first customers," says Gert. "It was always polystyrene packaging, initially still wrapped with PVC stretch film. We produced mushroom packaging for Albert Heijn, among others. My father then invented the lid. That was a great success, because suddenly the trays could be stacked."

Rpet material
"Since 2005, we have focused on Rpet material. At Kolkman Verpakkingen Hedel, we produce all of our high-quality packaging from Rpet, a material made from previously used PET plastic. Although plastic is often seen as waste, it is in fact a very valuable raw material for closed-loop recycling."

In recent years, cardboard packaging was a major trend, but according to Gert, that has already passed. "For a long time, cardboard was regarded as sustainable. Logical, because it comes from a natural product like wood. But forests had to be cut down, and that happened faster than new trees could grow. On top of that, the energy required was enormous, making it far less sustainable than expected and not circularly recyclable either."

"But due to legislation, we did lose part of the market at that time. Fortunately, we are now regaining it. In France, plastic mushroom packaging was even banned for a while. Meanwhile, mushrooms have been exempted from this rule again, because cardboard simply doesn't work. Mushrooms are 90% moisture, and cardboard, by nature, cannot handle moisture. So we are glad we didn't buy into that hype."

Sights widened
"We serve customers throughout Europe and beyond, from the Benelux countries, Germany, Spain, Lithuania, Poland, and Greece to Algeria and Libya," says Gert. "That creates plenty of dynamics. Every country has its own rules, and sustainability is a constant discussion. We are very strong in fresh produce packaging, where we continue to see the most growth, but in recent years, we have also expanded into meat packaging, internal transport equipment, and horticultural trays. We are very broadly oriented."

"We set ourselves apart through service, quality, and flexibility. We have two of our own trucks, so we can always deliver quickly. We also have our own tool shop, which means we can make adjustments right away. We buy raw materials ready-made, a conscious choice that gives us flexibility," says Gert. "The great thing is that this creates very loyal customers. By thinking along with them, we can deliver a suitable solution for every project, at any time. And it doesn't always have to be at the lowest price either."

Kolkman already marked its 40th anniversary with employees earlier this year by hiring four limousines. "We drove past customers and stopped for ice cream at a shop that also uses our packaging. Seeing how much the staff enjoyed it—that's what makes it worthwhile. For years, our workforce has been stable at around 25 employees. We have people from Kenya, Poland, and Ukraine, but in every respect we are a true family business."

As a low point in the company's 40 years, Gert mentions the death of his father, the founder, in 2022. "You can't ask him anything anymore, that's a real loss. The highs, we experience them here every day. We enjoy our work, from the first idea at the drawing board to the final packaging of the product on the shelves!"

© Kolkman VerpakkingenFor more information:
Gert Kolkman
Kolkman Verpakkingen Hedel
Tel: +31 (0) 73 5992255
Mob: +31 (0) 6 50604174
[email protected]
www.kvh.nl