Antalis Packaging opens new smart packaging centre to drive collaboration and packaging innovation

Packaging Solutions

Antalis Packaging has officially opened its new smart packaging centre (SPC), giving customers an enhanced facility where they can collaborate with packaging specialists to develop, test, and refine packaging solutions.

Nicholas Thompson, managing director, UK and Ireland at Antalis, officially opened the new centre on 11 September 2026, cutting the ribbon alongside Chris Liddell, packaging business director and John Garner, packaging category director.

Moved to a new location at the company’s head office in Leicestershire, the new SPC is larger, brighter, and purpose designed to encourage collaboration between customers and its packaging specialists.

The facility brings together sourcing, packaging design, testing and prototyping under one roof, giving customers access to a comprehensive range of expertise and practical capabilities throughout the packaging development process.

New features at the centre include virtual reality (VR) technology, 3D printing and scanning, a new testing suite, dedicated meeting spaces and idea generation zones, and a new machinery showroom.

The investment further strengthens Antalis Packaging’s ability to work with customers, helping them address specific packaging challenges and develop solutions that meet their operational, commercial and sustainability objectives.

From challenge to tested solution

Customers can bring their products, existing packaging or a specific challenge to the centre and work directly with the team to understand the requirements and identify potential solutions.

The team can then develop ideas, create new designs and produce prototypes and samples for customers to review and test. This hands-on approach lets customers assess and refine packaging concepts before selecting a final solution.

Chris Liddell said, ‘The new facility represents an important investment in our packaging capabilities and, most importantly, in how we work with our customers. It gives us a space to jointly explore ideas and develop practical solutions to real world packaging challenges.

‘Bringing expertise together means we can work collaboratively throughout the development process, from the initial idea through to a solution that can be tested and evaluated.’

The packaging team has extensive experience working with companies across a wide range of sectors, including 3PL, e-commerce and retail, logistics, automotive, aerospace and wider manufacturing.

The challenges customers face can be equally diverse, from reducing packaging and distribution costs and improving efficiency, to reducing product damage, enhancing the customer experience and improving sustainability.

Packaging optimisation can often address these challenges simultaneously. The SPC highlights how bespoke packaging solutions could reduce material usage, improve packing line efficiency, and reduce product damage. 

The new machinery showroom also gives Antalis an opportunity to demonstrate packaging machinery and explore how different technologies could support customers' operations, helping them understand the potential benefits before making investment decisions.

John Garner said, ‘Whether the challenge is cost, sustainability, efficiency, product protection or customer experience, we want customers to come into the centre, share their challenge with us and see what is possible.’

Antalis Packaging welcomes both existing and prospective customers to visit the new SPC to discuss their packaging requirements and see the latest technologies and machinery available to support their operations.