All4Labels launches flexible packaging division

The global flexible packaging market is experiencing unprecedented growth, projected to jump from 260 billion USD in 2024 to 406 billion USD by 2032, a growth rate of 5.80 percent annually. This dramatic expansion reflects changing consumer preferences, particularly in the food industry, where flexible packaging offers enhanced convenience, extended shelf life and improved product protection compared to traditional rigid packaging formats.

Recognizing this substantial market opportunity, All4Labels has strategically launched All4Flexibles, a dedicated B2B platform that leverages the company’s established expertise to address the specific demands of the flexible packaging sector. The new division represents more than a simple product line extension; it embodies a comprehensive approach focused on digitalization, automation and sustainability in flexible packaging production.

Strategic expansion builds on core strengths

All4Labels’ move into flexible packaging represents a calculated expansion built upon decades of specialized expertise in digital printing and label production. The company has established itself as one of the leaders in pressure-sensitive labels, which form the foundation of its business model and provide the technical knowledge base for this strategic diversification.

We have plans to expand our flexible packaging online business into Austria, Switzerland, France and the UK in the short to mid-term

Dr Günther Weymans, CEO of All4Labels, provides context for the strategic decision: ‘PSL accounts for approximately 65 percent of our 1 billion EUR annual revenues, and we are committed to increasing this share in the years to come. Moreover, we have developed a high specialization in healthcare labels and innovative categories in smart labels. Beyond these core competencies, we are actively investing in the online business, with All4Flexibles serving as a key pillar and perfectly fitting with the company’s focus on innovation, digitalization, and sustainability, which guides everything they do.’

The new division capitalizes on All4Labels’ quarter-century of digital printing expertise while expanding into sustainable materials and advanced printing technologies, including digital, flexographic and gravure processes. This multi-technology approach enables All4Flexibles to serve diverse customer requirements across various industries, from food and beverage, pharmaceuticals to consumer goods.

Speed and efficiency define operations

Stefan Harder, CEO of All4Flexibles, emphasizes the platform’s competitive advantages, particularly its rapid turnaround times, which address a critical industry pain point. Digital orders are typically ready in just 10 working days, a significant improvement over traditional flexible packaging lead times that can extend weeks or months depending on complexity and volume requirements.

This accelerated timeline reflects the broader industry trend toward shorter production cycles and more agile supply chains. Modern brands increasingly require packaging that can adapt quickly to seasonal campaigns, product launches and market changes, making speed a crucial differentiator in the competitive landscape.

The online shop features sophisticated 3D preview functionality and user-friendly design tools, democratizing packaging creation for both seasoned professionals and newcomers to flexible packaging procurement. These digital tools eliminate traditional barriers to entry, enabling smaller companies to access high-quality, flexible packaging without requiring extensive technical expertise or large minimum order quantities.

‘Indeed, digitalization and automation are pivotal to our success in fulfilling these demands,’ Harder emphasizes, highlighting how technology enables the company to maintain quality while accelerating production timelines.

With production facilities strategically located in Germany and materials readily available through established supply partnerships, All4Flexibles ensures shorter delivery times across European markets while maintaining consistent quality standards.

The company’s advanced digital processes and automated production methods enable the efficient handling of small and medium-sized runs, significantly reducing human error risks and ensuring that each order meets stringent quality requirements, which are particularly crucial in industries like food packaging, where safety and integrity are paramount.

Sustainability drives material innovation

Environmental responsibility has evolved from a marketing consideration to a fundamental business requirement, and All4Flexibles has positioned sustainability as a core operational principle rather than an afterthought. Gabriela Neves Ferri, global vice president of R&D and sustainability at All4Labels, emphasizes how environmental considerations shape every aspect of the business strategy.

‘Sustainability is at the core of our operations, and also All4Flexibles aligns with the group’s commitment to the 3-P (product, planet, people) sustainability model, offering sustainable alternatives to traditional materials, including recyclable mono materials such as OPP/CPP and MDO-PE/PE,’ says Ferri.

The platform’s material portfolio reflects extensive research and development investment in sustainable alternatives. Beyond conventional recyclable mono materials, All4Flexibles offers innovative paper-based options suitable for direct food contact, providing genuine plastic-free alternatives while maintaining the high barrier properties essential for product protection and extended shelf life.

‘We optimize material thickness based on specific packaging size requirements,’ adds Ferri. ‘We also offer innovative papers suitable for direct food contact, as a plastic-free alternative, while maintaining high barrier properties and compatibility with existing packaging lines.’

We are observing a movement toward smaller batch sizes and shorter lead times and this market niche is what we are targeting at All4Flexibles

This materials optimization represents a sophisticated approach to sustainability that goes beyond simple material substitution. By tailoring thickness to specific applications, All4Flexibles reduces material consumption while maintaining performance, demonstrating how environmental responsibility and operational efficiency can align.

Ferri notes that while traditional materials remain important for certain applications, ‘the advancement of innovative materials is showing promising results, with highly encouraging feedback from our customers.’ This customer validation suggests that sustainable materials are increasingly meeting or exceeding performance expectations across diverse applications.

Market adoption of sustainable materials has accelerated significantly due to improved cost competitiveness. Harder notes: ‘Pricing for our sustainable materials is now only minimally different from conventional options, which has facilitated the market adoption of sustainable products. To stay competitive, we are optimizing material volumes, implementing innovative printing and finishing techniques, and exploring cost-reduction strategies. This enables us to offer high-performance, cost-effective packaging approaches that align with our sustainability goals and meet customer demands.’

Personalized service

Despite operating primarily online, All4Flexibles prioritizes human connection through personalized customer service. Harder’s team consists of experienced FlexPack specialists who provide support via phone, email and in-person consultations at the Zeithain, Germany, facility and other global locations.

‘We engage with customers from the initial project phase to create tailored methods that meet their specific needs. Given our product complexity, effective communication and personal service are vital to help customers make informed decisions,’ Harder explains.

The platform strikes a balance between customization and convenience through curated material selections. ‘In the FlexPack market, we operate with a 10-day lead time and initially provide a curated selection of printable materials,’ says Harder. ‘We acknowledge that many customers know what they need, so we offer suitable alternatives and keep the preferred materials in stock. For those who need specific product advice, our team is dedicated to helping identify the right materials based on their product requirements. Our customer service team supports clients throughout the entire process, from material selection to production oversight, ensuring a seamless experience.’

European expansion

All4Flexibles has ambitious growth plans across Europe. ‘We have plans to expand our flexibles packaging online business into Austria, Switzerland, France and the UK in the short to mid-term,’ says Weymans. ‘We are focused on understanding market dynamics and customer preferences in each country, establishing strong local partnerships, and ensuring efficient logistics as key components of our expansion strategy. This new brand will perfectly fit into the group’s multi-products business structure, which encloses PSL as a core competence, shrink sleeves, smart labels and more, and will enhance its assets by emphasizing online sales and e-commerce.’

The Zeithain facility represents a significant strategic asset, equipped with state-of-the-art machinery and positioned for continued expansion as market demand grows. All4Flexibles has invested in advanced production equipment that enables diverse packaging format production while maintaining the flexibility to accommodate varying order sizes and specifications.

‘At our Zeithain facility, we utilize two machines for bag production, one of which has been recently installed, with plans for additional machines to accommodate the increasing demand,’ says Harder. ‘The new machine provides us with exciting capabilities, such as producing die-cut stand-up pouches. Additionally, upcoming material innovations will allow us to create oversized packaging, ideal for refill applications, and we will soon be able to offer stand-up pouches with spouts as well. Some of our customers just need printed films and they finish the product on its lines, and this is also a possibility.’

This production flexibility caters to diverse market segments, ranging from companies requiring finished packaging ready for immediate use to those requiring printed films for in-house finishing operations. The ability to serve both models demonstrates All4Flexibles’ understanding of the varied operational requirements and supply chain preferences of its customers.

The facility’s expansion plans reflect confidence in market growth projections and commitment to meeting increasing demand without compromising delivery timelines or quality standards. Strategic equipment investments enable the production of specialized formats, such as die-cut and spouted stand-up pouches, addressing premium market segments where differentiation and functionality command a higher value.

Material availability represents a significant operational challenge. Harder acknowledges: ‘One of the major challenges we face is the short-term availability of materials, which can often be limited in the market. To address this issue, we are actively exploring various methods to ensure that we can maintain 100 percent availability and meet our customers’ needs on short notice, keeping the 10 days of lead time.’

Digital transformation drives innovation

All4Flexibles leverages the All4Labels Group’s 25 years of digital expertise to revolutionize packaging production beyond traditional printing. Harder explains: ‘Our commitment to digital thinking extends beyond printing as we re-engineer the entire production process with a focus on digitalization and automation. At All4Flexibles, we emphasize that innovative technologies are essential for reducing lead times. Digital printing, for example, enables us to create a diverse range of print designs without the costs and delays associated with tooling. We expect ongoing innovations in this field and plan to make incremental investments to enhance our capabilities further.’

Looking toward the future, market dynamics suggest continued evolution in packaging material preferences, with sustainability considerations increasingly influencing procurement decisions across industries. Harder predicts these trends while highlighting All4Flexiles’ strategic positioning to capitalize on emerging opportunities.

Pricing for our sustainable materials is now only minimally different from conventional options, which has facilitated the market adoption of sustainable products

‘The flexible packaging industry will likely continue to rely heavily on plastic materials; however, we expect paper packaging to significantly increase its market share,’ he says. ‘From our perspective, ensuring product protection and extending shelf life will remain the top priorities. Additionally, similar to trends in other packaging sectors, we are observing a movement toward smaller batch sizes and shorter lead times, and this market niche is what we are targeting at All4Flexibles.’

This market trend toward smaller batches and accelerated timelines reflects broader changes in consumer behavior, retail strategies and supply chain management. Brands increasingly require packaging that supports agile marketing campaigns, seasonal promotions and rapid product iteration cycles, creating opportunities for suppliers capable of delivering flexibility without sacrificing quality or cost-effectiveness.

The industry’s gradual shift toward paper-based materials presents both opportunities and challenges for flexible packaging producers. While paper offers enhanced sustainability credentials, maintaining barrier properties and production compatibility requires significant technical expertise and material innovation, areas where All4Flexibles’ research and development capabilities provide competitive advantages.

All4Labels restructures operations with new organizational model

All4Labels Global Packaging Group announced a comprehensive reorganization designed to better serve evolving customer needs through a new end-market-driven organizational model focused on profit and loss accountability and market proximity.

The company restructured its operations around four dedicated end-market segments: food, including beer, beverages, wine and spirits; home and personal care; healthcare; and industry, covering chemicals, agrochemicals, automotive and tobacco sectors.

‘This industry is evolving faster than ever. Packaging and labels have become a strategic asset for brands, expected to embody brand values, meet regulatory demands and elevate the consumer experience,’ said Harald Schulz, chairman of the advisory board at All4Labels. ‘Our role as industry pioneers is to shape an organizational model that is forward-looking and closer to our customers.’

The restructuring aims to enable faster response times, deeper industry expertise and more reliable end-to-end delivery by aligning internal structure with external market dynamics. The company has expanded its multinational client scope under chief sales officer Guido Iannone to identify cross-country business opportunities and convert them into long-term value.

‘This new organizational model will strengthen our ability to anticipate market shifts and to enhance proximity and cross-functional collaboration and create conditions to accelerate growth, foster innovation and unlock new business opportunities,’ said Iannone.

All4Labels has also introduced a new Specialties Division focused on digital and sustainable packaging, incorporating existing vertical competencies, including online businesses, intelligent and secure packaging from Integritag, and the group’s patented sustainable labeling alternatives, such
as StarDirect.

‘At All4Labels, we draw strength from our deep industry heritage while executing a bold, forward-looking strategy
to ensure long-term success,’ said Guenther Weymans, chief executive officer of All4Labels. ‘Our ambition is clear: to lead with purpose, drive sustainable growth, and build an agile, future-ready organization that creates lasting value for
all stakeholders.’

The reorganization reflects the company’s commitment to creating a more agile, customer-centric and performance-driven organization that can deliver integrated market solutions tailored to each sector’s unique challenges while maintaining operational excellence.