For decades, Custom-Pak Plastic Products Ltd has played a vital role in New Zealand’s food and horticulture supply chain, manufacturing packaging used across a wide range of everyday products, from bakery goods to fresh produce found on supermarket shelves.
The family-owned business operates with a practical, hands-on leadership style led by General Manager Glenn Wilson, who oversees the Christchurch facility while his brother manages the Auckland operation. As a mid-sized manufacturer with two sites, Glenn explains that leadership often requires flexibility and a willingness to take on multiple responsibilities, with his role spanning everything from sales and budgeting through to production oversight and supporting staff.
Custom-Pak operates two factories in New Zealand and supplies packaging to a wide range of industries, including bakeries, horticulture growers, and meat processors. Much of the company’s work ultimately ends up on supermarket shelves, meaning many New Zealanders encounter Custom-Pak products without even realising it.
“I’m a general manager, but really it encompasses everything from sales to budgets to production and looking after staff contracts. It’s a bit of HR as well. In a business like ours, one job description doesn’t fit all, you must be able to do multiple jobs,” said Mr Wilson.
“We supply everything from bakery through to horticulture and the meat industry. Anything requiring packaging really. Most of it ends up around food products you’d see in the supermarket strawberries, tomatoes, baking products, so most people in New Zealand would touch our product at some stage.”
Behind the scenes, strong financial oversight also plays an important role in the company’s stability and growth. Glenn credits professional services firm Nexia with helping provide valuable financial insights and strategic guidance.
“They provide monthly reports and help us track how we’re performing against our budget and previous years. They’re very good at presenting ideas that could improve the bottom line and making sure we’re operating on a sound financial base,” said Mr Wilson.
Nexia has also supported the implementation of improved sales tracking systems, helping the business better understand performance across product lines.
As the company continues to adapt to industry demands and supply chain challenges, Glenn believes the combination of family leadership, innovation, and trusted advisory support positions Custom-Pak well for the future.
