A LEADING protective packaging distributor has appointed a new managing director in hopes of expanding the company’s presence in Europe over the next year.
Macfarlane Group, headquartered in Glasgow, has appointed Joost Meisj, who will join the company on 1 January 2025.
Macfarlane, which has over 70 years’ experience in the industry, employs over 1000 people at 40 different sites and services more than 20,000 customers in the UK and Europe.
The protective packaging supplied by the company helps a range of business customers, helping reduce supply chain costs and improve efficiency and sustainability in businesses.
The company currently trades in the UK, Ireland, Germany and the Netherlands, but wants to expand their presence in Europe and create smoother processes for European customers.
Macfarlane Group PLC have already began their expansion into Europe with the acquisition of Packmann protective packaging business in Germany.
Peter Atkinson, chief executive of Macfarlane Group PLC, said: “Growing our presence in Europe is a strategic priority for Macfarlane as our customers increasingly look for a single supplier solution for their European operations.
Joost Meijs has been selected for the job as he has experience growing businesses in Europe, with his most recent role being CEO of Tenfold, a protective packaging business in the Netherlands.
As he starts this new role, he will work with the team already existing in Europe and the Packmann team and will be providing new resources and his knowledge from previous roles.
He said: “This is a great time to join Macfarlane and I plan to use my knowledge of the European protective packaging market to support the company’s European expansion plans.
“Meeting the needs of our customers is my primary focus and I look forward to working with the Macfarlane team to support our customers’ growth aspirations.”
Peter Atkinson said: With his experience, knowledge and a proven ability to lead European-based businesses, Joost will add an additional level of expertise, enabling us to maximise our potential in the European market.”