Westpack's DNA
Premium packaging for jewellery, watches and eyewear - since 1953
Westpack develops, markets and sells quality packaging and accessories for the jewellery, watch and eyewear industry. Always keeping the customer in mind, we create long-term relationships by working persistently towards meeting the customer needs. We perform better today than we did yesterday. We do this, because we aim to be Europe’s preferred supplier of packaging and accessories for the jewellery, watch, and eyewear trade.
Our DNA and values
The Westpack DNA
We have been producing and selling packaging for the jewellery and watch industry for more than 60 years. Both nationally and internationally, Westpack's products and services are highly respected.
Although we are a B2B company, we operate with open prices on our online store. We also send you samples on most of our products. It is just our way of doing things.
Here are some additional reasons to do business with us:
- We have a wide selection of quality products at great prices. Our customer service is second-to-none, and take pride in providing detailed guidance.
- We offer fast delivery, low start-up costs and low minimum orders.
- We have a fantastic online store with 11 supported languages. But if you need to talk about product development and logo printing, our multilingual sales department is ready to take your calls or answer your emails and chat messages.
- Today we handle 200,000 boxes and bags daily, which are shipped to more than 18,000 retail customers and jewellery manufacturers around the world.
- We are constantly developing new and exciting products.
The becoming of corporate culture
All living things come into the world with a fixed set of DNA. Corporations do not. It takes time before a company culture is established. It takes experiences (both ups and downs) before a corporation develops a unique approach to doing business.
Only with time new dynamics can be discovered, and new ideas take shape. If a company is strong enough to stand the test of time, these ideas slowly crystalize into a proven business philosophy. And if the business is successful enough, a legacy is formed. When we say that there is such a thing as a Westpack DNA, this is exactly what we are talking about: something that encapsulates – all at the same time – corporate history, legacy and philosophy.
SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS
AND PRODUCTION METHODS
Westpack works continuously on providing as large a selection as possible of materials that are environmentally friendly. In order to make our environmentally friendly products easier to spot on our website, we have created a separate label for these products: ECO.
DOCUMENTING OUR
CSR EFFORTS AND RESULTS
As confirmed by Westpack’s values, CSR, responsibility and credibility have high priority in our organization. And since CSR is a point of emphasis for many of our partners, it is also one of our absolute field of focus. Read more about the CSR initiatives we have already made and which ones we are planning to make in our annual CSR report.
History of Westpack
Late 1930s
Valdemar Mogensen founds Holstebro Papæskefabrik (now known as ‘Holstebro Kartonnage’). Here Valdemar develops packaging for the local companies in western Jutland – for example strawberry boxes.
Late 1940s
Christen Peter Mogensen (Valdemar Mogensen’s son) joins Holstebro Papæskefabrik. In his spare time, he begins manufacturing cardboard party lamps – quite a popular thing at the time – at the attic of Holstebro Papæskefabrik with his wife Inga.
Early 1950s
At some point, C.P. Mogensen is contacted by the local watch wholesaler O.K. Jensen. He recommends Mogensen to start up a production of packaging for the watch and jewellery industry. Mogensen wisely follows the advice.
1953
The original one-man company Westpap was founded by Christen Peter Mogensen on June 18, 1953. In the beginning, the production is situated in the attic of Holstebro Papæskefabrik.
Mid 1950’s
In the first years, Westpap exclusively manufactures boxes for silver cutlery and jewellery. All manufacturing is done by hand. At a point, it becomes too cramped in the attic, and new buildings are constructed next to Holstebro Papæskefabrik.
The yearly turnover increases continually, and still more buildings are added to the headquarter. At one point, though, market liquidity becomes too low, and the Mogensen family are forced to sell their home and move into the office buildings.
Print ad from the late 1970s
Timeline of important events in our history
- Late 1930s
- Late 1940s
- Early 1950s
- 1953
- Mid 1950s
- Late 1960s
- 1970s
- 1976
- Early 1980s
- 1986
- 1989
- 1992
- 1994
- 1996
- Late 1990s
- 2000
- 2001
- 2002
- 2004
- 2007
- Late 2000s
- 2009
- Early 2010s
- 2014
- 2015
- 2016
- 2017
- Late 2010s
- 2020
- 2021
- 2021
- 2022
- 2022
Late 1930s:
Valdemar Mogensen founds Holstebro Papæskefabrik (now known as ‘Holstebro Kartonnage’). Here Valdemar develops packaging for the local companies in western Jutland – for example strawberry boxes.
Late 1940s:
Christen Peter Mogensen (Valdemar Mogensen’s son) joins Holstebro Papæskefabrik. In his spare time, he begins manufacturing cardboard party lamps – quite a popular thing at the time – at the attic of Holstebro Papæskefabrik with his wife Inga.Early 1950s:
At some point, C.P. Mogensen is contacted by the local watch wholesaler O.K. Jensen. He recommends Mogensen to start up a production of packaging for the watch and jewellery industry. Mogensen wisely follows the advice.1953:
The original one-man company Westpap was founded by Christen Peter Mogensen on June 18, 1953. In the beginning, the production is situated in the attic of Holstebro Papæskefabrik.
Mid 1950s:
In the first years, Westpap exclusively manufactures boxes for silver cutlery and jewellery. All manufacturing is done by hand. At a point, it becomes too cramped in the attic, and new buildings are constructed next to Holstebro Papæskefabrik. The yearly turnover increases continually, and still more buildings are added to the headquarter. At one point, though, market liquidity becomes too low, and the Mogensen family are forced to sell their home and move into the office buildings.
Late 1960s:
Valdemar Mogensen passes away, and Holstebro Papæskefabrik is sold on an auction – C.P. Mogensen is not interested in buying. Meanwhile, Bent Skou Mogensen (C.P. Mogensen’s son) joins Westpap. In the late 1960s, the jewellery packaging industry becomes more competitive. This leads to a change of strategy: Westpap begins making rudimentary packaging for other industries (for example, more than 600.000 boxes for screws are made every week). Later, this turns out to be a bad strategy, when an overcapacity in the late 1960s and early 1970s sends the prices on a downward spiral. Something similar happened to the many textile companies all around Jutland, when China won important market shares. But instead of disappearing or moving the entire production, Westpack had made changes in time for the automatic plastic and assembly production.
1970s :
Westpap changes strategy once again: the aim is to specialize in packaging for jewellery and watches. Designer/architect Acton Bjørn (best known for the Margrethe Bowl) develops a range of contemporary plastic boxes for Westpap. Turnovers start to increase, as Westpap exports more and more products.
1976 :
Bent Skou Mogensen is hired as director in the new company Westpap I/S. This brings about the first generation change in the company. The organization is run in accordance with four central values: Responsibility, Reliability, Community and Business Acumen. This print ad from the late 1970s is a great example of the last mentioned. “Smiling, friendly and eager to please – this is the reaction you receive when you call Westpap to place an order or to gain information of any kind”, the ad reads. To this day, Westpack strive for improvement based on a constructive dialogue with our customers.
Early 1980s:
Westpap is really picking up speed and becomes a stock-based corporation (A/S) with the new name Westpack. This is done to increase international appeal. An important business relationship is established with Talbots Group in the UK. Here, it should be emphasized how integral Anna Marie (Bent Skou Mogensen’s wife) was for the sales department. She was an important figure at Westpack and was responsible for everything related to purchasing and sales. When Westpack reached a market share of 70% in Denmark and Sweden, it was largely because of Anna Marie’s work. She also initiated business relationships with key accounts in Denmark, Sweden and United Kingdom. She was very diligent and well-liked by customers and the staff at Westpack. In 1983, the now-classic Bombay jewellery box is introduced. The boxes have a leatherette coating, luxury velvet inserts and gold tooling on the lid.
1986:
The Torino series of jewellery boxes is introduced. The plastic box has a foam insert in both lid and base, as well as an elegant gold line on the lid. This timeless classic has been a staple in our product range ever since. Even though many of our customers nowadays are demanding cardboard boxes, the Torino series is still very popular in Scandinavia – and especially in Denmark.
1989:
The now-classic Seville boxes are introduced. This is also the year that Westpack introduces annual profit sharing. By the late 1980s, the plastic-molding machines in Westpack’s production line are producing thousands of Torino and Seville boxes every hour.
1992:
Westpack is enjoying a lot of success in the early 1990s and introduces annual profit sharing for all full-time employees. Sometimes, though, the business situation is uncertain, because the demand is determined by a few very large customers. In 1992, the Verona series of jewellery boxes is introduced. They are made from glossy black plastic that contains tiny gold glitters, that look like gold dust. ”Plastic waste is being reused”, the headline says in this 1990s newspaper article. In the 1990s, there is a growing debate about plastic. Consequently, Westpack wants to tell the positive stories about recycling and green initiatives. Westpack has never been afraid to try new things – and throughout our history we have experimented with different materials and ways of producing.
1994:
“You can call our new ordering phone and ordering fax for free”, it says in Westpack’s mid-1990s catalogues. This is, of course, many years before the rise of ecommerce. In the 1990s, the product catalogues are crucial to Westpack’s business strategy, and a lot of work go into making them as explanatory and information rich as possible. “The free ordering fax is open 24 hours a day – also in the weekend”, the catalogue text adds. In 1994, the Rio series of jewellery boxes are introduced. They are made from recyclable glossy plastic with a subtle glitter effect, and they quickly become popular.
1996:
The once so popular plastic jewellery boxes are slowly beginning to go out of style, as the ecofriendly agenda is on the rise. Cardboard and paper are considered to have a smaller environmental impact. Therefore, there is a demand for cardboard boxes in the jewellery industry. As a response, Westpack introduces cardboard boxes coated with paper in 1996. But the options are limited: you can have black or blue.
Late 1990s:
Even though plastic boxes are gradually becoming less popular, they are still the backbone of Westpack’s production in the late 1990s, where more than 100.000 plastic boxes are produced every day. When larger clients come to visit Westpack, they can inspect the boxes in the ever-expanding showroom. These face-to-face meetings (as well as tradeshows) are important for establishing business relationships. More than 20 years later, some goldsmiths still call us with the same order as they did in the late 1990s.
2000:
Westpack wants to be able to deliver the cardboard boxes the industry demands. Therefore, the so-called Emmerci machines are purchased – these Italian machines can create rigid cardboard wrapped boxes automatically. Now, one person can produce 2.000 cardboard boxes per hour. Ole and Søren Mogensen (sons of Bent Skou Mogensen) manage Westpack from early 2000 and Bent begins to focus more on board work.
2001:
Westpack begins the process of moving to a new headquarter (Sletten in Holstebro). The Montreal series of jewellery boxes is introduced. This is a continuation of the luxury line of products that began with the Bombay series in 1983.
2002:
Westpack introduces the Boston series of cardboard boxes. The boxes are made from stylish matt kraft paper, and the design breathes Scandinavian Simplicity. In time, this will become one of Westpack’s best selling products – and new variations on the design will be introduced.
2004:
For years, Westpack has been buying products from suppliers in Thailand, but now a representative office in Shenzhen (China) is established. Westpack is witnessing its second generation change, as Ole and Søren Mogensen takes over from Bent Mogensen – it is a process that lasts until 2007.
2007:
In the latter half of the 2000s, it becomes possible to place orders online “as a supplement to our catalogues”, as this 2007-catalogue text says. Trade fairs and printed catalogues are still very important at this point in time, but ecommerce is becoming increasingly significant; in the 2010s it is going to take off in a way that only a handful of people saw coming. In 2007 the high-end jewellery box Berlin is introduced.
Late 2000s:
The global financial crisis from mid-2007 to early 2009 does not affect Westpack in a devastating way. In the years after the global financial crisis, Westpack is conquering important market shares and slowly becomes one of the largest packaging companies in Europe.
2009 :
With the introduction of the Boston ECO boxes, Westpack’s ECO concept is launched. The ECO brand serves as an umbrella term for all our eco-friendly, organic products, recycled products, FSC®-products and Fairtrade® products. We use the ECO label for products that meet our strict requirements re toxic chemicals and products that are damaging to the environment or eco-system. FSC is the mark of responsible forestry. Our FSC licence number is FSC®C112509.
Early 2010s:
Ole Mogensen decides to leave the company and is replaced by Morten Dalsgaard. Morten brings a lot of new ideas with him, and Westpack enjoys even more success in the following decade. Email-marketing becomes increasingly important in the industry, and in the early 2010s, Westpack gets a dedicated strategy for email-flows. A lot of emphasis is placed on ecommerce.
2014:
Amsterdam – Westpack’s first range of postal jewellery boxes – is introduced. It quickly becomes popular, because it allows goldsmiths and jewellery designers to send jewellery to their customers by mail (the boxes can be sent as a large letter).
2015:
Westpack establishes a WFOE (wholly foreign-owned enterprise) in China.
2016:
Our Frankfurt boxes are introduced. They are an even slimmer version of the Amsterdam boxes. As with many of our boxes, Frankfurt has a low minimum order quantity for logo print, which is rare in the industry.
2017:
The Danish capital fond Capidea buys Westpack. Søren and Morten both stay in the company – also as shareholders. Westpack launches a new website, that is a big improvement on the last one. The online shopping experience becomes more intuitive, and the ecommerce strategy is tremendously successful. Westpack establishes a representative office in Indonesia.
Late 2010s:
Westpack is breaking one sales record after another. An added focus is placed on CSR. The popular jewellery box series Stockholm is introduced in 2019. The same year, Westpack receives an award for ”Best Managed Companies” from Deloitte.
2020:
In early 2020, Westpacks new warehouse is inaugurated. Westpack now has nearly 17,000 customers worldwide. 400,000 boxes are produced every week in our Danish factory. The new and updated website is launched.
2021: Westpack Wins Ecommerce Award
The Danish Chamber of Commerce awards Westpack with the prestigious ecommerce award in the category ‘Best B2B Online Store with a turnover < 200.000.000 DKK’
2021: Westpacks makes significant investments
In spite of the Covid-19 pandemic, Westpack makes significant investments in both buildings and production equipment. The international webshop is expended from 11 to 15 languages.2022: Westpack is sold to the Swedish equity fund Adelis
Adelis Equity Partners (a growth partner for well-positioned, Nordic companies) becomes the majority owner in Westpack. Management and key employees invest a significant ownership stake in Westpack. Together, the parties expect to continue investing in an ambitious growth plan. Westpack now has more than 23,000 customers worldwide.2022: Søren Mogensen leaves Westpack
In connection with his 50th birthday, Søren Mogensen chooses to leave Westpack after a generation of active service in the family business. The last of the original founding family thereby leaves. But the old Mogensen spirit, established in 1953, continues to live on in the company thanks to Westpack's four core values: Responsibility, Reliability, Community, and Business Acumen.