ProSweets 2017

Young entrepreneurs buy 30-year-old chocolate packaging firm Devan Plastics

By Jenny Eagle

- Last updated on GMT

Brothers Jean-Baptiste and Thibaut Van Damme, co-owners, Devan Plastics, believe they have tapped into a niche market for plastic packaging for the chocolate and food industry.

The 25 and 26-year-olds, respectively, bought the 30-year-old company two years ago and specialize in supplying smaller to medium-sized firms.

1 million pieces

Jean-Baptiste Van Damme said it starts at 1,000 pieces, all custom-made materials, up to 1m pieces.

It is possible to work in all different types of materials and colors including PET (polyethylene terephthalate) and PVC (poly vinyl chloride),​” he said.

The main colors are transparent gold, black and brown metallized but we can even work in green colors.​”

Devan Plastics was established in 1985, it began automation in thermoforming and skin packaging in 1991, and following its acquisition by the Van Dammes, the factory moved to Kuurne, in Belgium.

It invested in new machinery and BRC certification last year.  

Blister packs, Skin, Shrink wrap

We work mainly for Belgium customers but we have clients in France, Germany, Switzerland, and The Netherland​s,” added Jean-Baptiste Van Damme.

Two years ago I came out of university and was looking forward to starting my own business and we stumbled across this company online​.

It’s a growing industry, a niche market and we work from project to project offering four different types of packaging; Blister packs; Depositors, for both food and non-food, a plastic box used to give products better attention and ease of use; Skin packaging and Shrink wrap​.”

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