Looking back on the pack

What were you doing in 1986? Watching Richard Hadlee take a record 33 wickets in three tests against the Aussies? Wondering how this new-fangled ‘GST’ was going to affect business? Considering buying the first publicly available shares of Microsoft?

For Neville Goddin, 1986 was a year of new ideas and hard graft. It was also the year when he started the company that would later grow into Universal Packaging.

The business was originally started as a contract packing company servicing the chemical and pharmaceutical manufacturing industry out of Hamilton. In 1988 the business diversified into specialty containers and primary packaging for these industries. The next two decades were spent working hard to meet the demands of a constantly evolving packaging market.

In 2007 we began to focus solely on end of line packaging and rapidly grew our capability in pallet load containment products and machinery. Two years later we would become sole New Zealand distributor for Wulftec International’s range of pallet wrapping and strapping machinery. In 2011 we added the renowned Spinny range to our stable.

Nowadays Neville’s son, Matt, is helping lead the way as our Sales & Marketing Manager. Having just celebrated 15 years at the company, Matt has witnessed firsthand the size of the change.

“Transitioning from contract filling to supplying aluminium squeeze tubes to the full scope of stretch film and load containment has been a massive change,” says Matt.

In this time there’s been plenty of milestones to celebrate.

“I can remember the day we received an order for our first full pallet load of machine stretch wrap,” Matt says. “The first Wulftec wrapper we sold happened to be the largest and most sophisticated piece of equipment they make. We quoted it and I happened to go into work for something on the weekend. There was the purchase order, just sitting on the fax.”

In 2020, like the rest of the country and the planet, we were faced with fresh challenges as Covid caused upheaval in our work the likes of which we’d never seen before. Working from home was a real test. However the team stepped up and got everything done.

General Manager Jed Goudie believes the company’s success over the years is primarily due to a few unwavering approaches to the work.

“We’re always thinking of the customer first. What’s best for them, what saves them money, reduces their waste, makes sure they can send every type of pallet with confidence,” says Jed. “And we back this approach by staying incredibly focused on technological advancement.”

“It’s work that’s definitely helped by the mindset of the team. It makes a huge difference to your work when you’re surrounded by good folks.”

Jed believes success over the next 35 years depends on “continuing with the same focus and dedication to our staff, clients and suppliers.”

It will be an exciting time, with advancements in load containment analysis, new recycling initiatives, innovative sustainability developments and plenty more to look forward to.

Thanks to all of those who have made these last 35 years what they were. We now look forward to all the wrapping up and stepping forward ahead.