When considering luxury packaging, Aarts Plastics is one of the packaging companies whose name tops the list. The Dutch injection moulding company has worked hard to attract some of the world's luxury brands, and now benefits a well-earned reputation for its spectacular packaging creations. Oriflame, Betty Barclay, Avon and Rituals are just some of the companies which turn to Aarts Plastics when an outstanding piece of packaging is required for their next product launch.

What is the latest investment at Aarts?

Aarts Plastics is specialized in injection molding and offers a wide range of decoration options in order to further enhance its packaging creations. This is being taken up to the next level as we have has invested in a new digital printer which will come into use during the first weeks of the new year.

The new printer will offer color cosmetic companies far more flexibility in the finishes that they choose and many customers have already expressed immense interest in compacts that are decorated with these new effects.

Enhanced decoration is available for both flat and domed surfaces allowing us to dress up both compacts and caps. And it's not just the top either! The sides of caps can also benefit from this print decoration. Similar to many standard printers, decoration is printed with four colors, however our new machine also benefits from a UV printing head which will provide our products with a scratch-resistant finish so that they remain in pristine condition for optimal time.

What decoration options does Aarts currently offer its customers?

At present we offer hot stamping with silver, gold and black foil. It is a long, complicated process and requires checking thoroughly to ensure that the finish is perfect, however this is what Aarts Plastics is known for - high quality cosmetic products that look exceptional.

When the new digital printer is incorporated, one of the exciting features is that print and stamping decoration techniques can be combined. The new printer is high speed and is an ideal additional service for us to offer our customers.

As well as the outstanding finishes, the accuracy and speed of the decoration will benefit lead times. Customers want customization, yet are demanding shorter lead times. This has been an opposing combination for many companies. At Aarts Plastics, it is part of our expansion that we have been undergoing in the last years to offer luxury companies an ever-more bespoke service.

What else has the company expansion included?

The expansion has included increasing our floor space in addition to modernizing and adding to the manufacturing capability of the company. When a company has been in business for as long as Aarts Plastics —75 years— it is important to keep looking forward and foresee trends so that new challenges can be met head-on.

Investment is an ongoing necessity as the market is increasingly demanding more.

Working in the luxury sector, is all production bespoke?

Aarts Plastics is well known for the work it has done with world famous beauty brands in the luxury sector. One of the exciting things about this sector is that luxury beauty packaging is at the cutting edge of packaging production techniques as brands —fragrance brands in particular— are always looking to make their product ever-more special, ever-more eye-catching, ever-more luxurious.

We are very well-known in the beauty market, particularly across Europe, for our high end beauty packaging. Product development is something that is ongoing as we constantly push back boundaries and explore new possibilities for ever more complex shapes and technical creations. At Aarts Plastics most of our projects are the development of new, individual packaging concepts. Although we do have some standards, we are recognized by our customers for our expertise in one-of-a-kind pieces and that is what they turn to us for.

Zamak overmoulded with PP or overmoulding Surlyn is a complicated technique which involves the creation of unique tools and moulds for an exceptional finished product. It is a technique for which Aarts Plastics is well-known, and it is offers the heft which luxury brands seek, along with a visual aesthetic which complements the brand. Extruded products, multi cavity moulds and multi-cavity stack moulds; we are highly experienced in all of these.

Luxury products demand packaging that is attention grabbing, that enhances the brand, and that remain in pristine condition for the lifetime of the product. Aarts' is expert in the production of such packaging, transforming a concept into a physical reality, scrutinizing all the small details to ensure that every aspect is considered. This attention to detail is imperative for luxury brands and something which makes our work stand out, and for which our work is often showcased by the beauty industry.

As a manufacturer, how does Aarts maintain its 'green' profile?

We've been working on enhancing Corporate Social Responsiblity at the company for many years. It's really at the forefront at the moment, but Aarts has been focused on this for a long time. We've received a number of Ecovadis awards starting with a silver in 2014 and have been maintaining a gold level award since 2016. We also have ISO 14001 and were the the first in the Netherlands certified according to the latest ISO 9001:2015 standard.

The way our production lines work is dynamic. We use both electric and hydraulic machinery and as the average annual temperature here is about 10 degrees Centigrade, we have optimized our heating system to re-use the warmth of the production machinery in the offices and warehouse. Whilst we take advantage of our production systems for heating, we also carefully monitor pollutant concentrations in the waste gas to ensure the lowest levels.

Last year the production hall was equipped with LED lighting and through the use of this and other innovative technologies, Aarts Plastics has reduced its energy consumption. Furthermore, we only purchase electricity from renewable energy sources to make certain that as a company, our carbon footprint is lower than the majority of packaging manufacturers — quite an achievement when you consider that our injection molding department is working for 24 hours a day, 7 days per week.

Ensuring our CSR qualifications, we monitor both direct and indirect CO2 emissions. We follow a re-use and recycle waste management system and regularly conduct internal audits for health and safety, in addition to an employee satisfaction survey to ensure that Aarts Plastics continues to be a place in which people enjoy coming to work. Caring for people and our planet are 2 of the most important foundations of the company.

CSR and sustainability are worldwide concerns and the current negativity surrounding plastic is pushing many more companies to take action. In order for change to happen, you have to start by making changes yourself, and that is exactly what we have done at Aarts Plastics.

Pictured: Oriflame's Masquerade perfume cap, produced by Aarts Plastics