The old adage that you never get
a second chance to make a first
impression is a guiding principle at
Glenmore Custom Print & Packaging.
Founded nearly 40 years ago, the
Richmond, B.C.-based company has never
shied away from taking on the most chal-lenging
and difficult packaging products.
From luxury cosmetic and food packag-ing,
to foil stamped bottle labels and even
shrink sleeves for craft beer and wine,
Glenmore has earned a reputation in the
Pacific Northwest as a one-stop-shop that
delivers high-end results.
The company’s approximately 125 staff
members know that packaging is big busi-ness.
The right wrapping can convey a sense
of quality, serving as a platform to show-case
a brand and its own unique identity.
According to a 2018 U.S. study by the Paper
and Packaging Board and IPSOS, seven-in-
10 consumers say package design influ-ences
their purchasing decisions.
Through the years, Glenmore has
worked hard to push the envelope, stay-ing
ahead of packaging trends and invest-ing
heavily in new technologies. Second-generation
owner James Rowley told Poured
Canada the philosophy has always been to
accept only projects that can be done in-
PACKAGING
Circle of
INNOVATION
Glenmore Custom Print & Packaging expands to offer
custom printed tubes for premium spirits and wines
house. That way, Glenmore can ensure the
highest level of quality from start to finish.
For close to two years, the compa-ny
has been working to expand that in-house
capability by mastering a new niche
market: custom printed tubes for spirits
and wines.
“Typically, you see a lot of product from
Scotland in a tube,” said Rowley. “They’ve
been very specific to whisky, since whisky is
generally branded as one of the higher-end
spirits. We talked to a lot of distilleries and
a lot of them were interested in tube pack-aging.
It made sense for us to look into it.”
It took about 18 months for Glenmore
to research and then develop the machin-ery
to produce the tubes, which feature a
crimped metal base and removable metal
top, or a telescoping option that is 100 per
cent paperboard. In total, the company
bought and customized five machines to
make the tubes in-house.
“It was a very tricky process to mas-ter,”
said Rowley, adding that it’s really
about craftsmanship.
“It’s almost like you need the right
people and the right eyes, and I think that’s
why Glenmore has had success. We have
always focused on the high-end side of the
packaging business. Colour management,
beauty in the finished product and atten-tion
to detail are things we’re really good at.”
The market for traditional whiskey
tubes is finite, but Rowley says the packag-ing
is suitable for many different beverages.
For example, Glenmore has seen
interest in tube packaging for everything
from sake and vodka, to wine. While it has
By Lisa Gordon
SUMMER 2020 § POURED CANADA § 31