Rawlings has flourished throughout its 165 year history by consistently evolving its offering with the times. 2016 has been a busy year so far for the glass packaging specialist and the company is not letting up; Rawlings is expanding with new premises, has introduced many new lines and that's just the beginning. Webpackaging finds out more...

What is the secret to Rawlings' success?

There is no secret. Rawlings was established in 1850 in Bristol and over the decades the company has developed according to market demands. When the company began, the primary focus was recycling bottles, now Rawlings is known internationally as an independent packaging specialist and distributor in the glass industry.

The company has a wide range of products and has worked hard to ensure a prime reputation for supplying high quality products: Rawlings is dictated by quality.

Rawlings also has high sustainability values which stem back from when the company started. Being an environmentally-friendly company is important in this day and age, and the company is one of very few that can show it was concerned about sustainability before it became "trendy". The market is going "greener" and the end consumer is more concerned about the impact on the environment that they make and so reflect that in the brands they choose to buy.

Rawlings is classified as a distributor, however, the term "glass specialist" is more appropriate, as the company offers new and bespoke product development, off the shelf products and a full decoration service to achieve any look.

How has Rawlings expanded into new markets?

We work in a number of markets and that is something that has developed a lot over the last couple of years. Our core business is still food and beverage orientated, dealing with breweries and food producers, but over the last year, we've been introducing glass for a number of other markets: candle, diffuser, aromatherapy, pharmaceutical, e-liquid, and cosmetic. We've had massive success with some of the main players in that arena so it has taken off really well and is going from strength to strength.

Recently we've launched specialist web sites catered specifically for individual markets. We've got new sites dedicated to e-liquid packaging, aromatherapy glass packaging and candle glass packaging. The new sites make it easy to source packaging that is ideal for those markets so that packaging buyers don't need to search through our comprehensive product catalogue.

We've been successfully targeting the pharmaceutical market since the beginning of 2015 and in the first year we sold over a million bottles. Entering into a new market is a big step; it's a long process in order to get established, but we already have Rawlings' reputation behind us and that has been a big benefit.

When did the company move premises?

We moved in June to a brand new site that offers three times the capacity as our previous site. We are still in the process of building bespoke, environmentally friendly offices, and this should be completed in under a year. As we've developed into new markets the company has been expanding significantly and the new headquarters provide enough space for our increasing work force and product lines. Working in new markets has also meant that the company has different requirements, so BRC and cleanrooms are being implemented at the new facility.

Which are Rawlings' top glass products?

Because we work in a number of markets and offer such a broad range of products, there's no special one or two items. It all comes down to market requirements.

Glassware for food purposes has been one of our principal focuses for a very long time and it is something in which Rawlings is very much associated, however, glass is ideal for so many markets and that is why we have been able to expand into new sectors.

As a glass specialist we've also seen increased interest in Rawlings being asked to create bespoke projects, some of which have been featured in the National press and have been shortlisted for awards.

Can we see any of your glass offerings at any upcoming packaging events?

We'll be taking Le Parfait to Packaging Innovations in London again (stand J80). The exquisite glass food jars always create a lot of interest as we are the only official UK distributor and is something that we are proud to show.

We'll also have samples of our black glass beer bottles which were launched in the spring. These really stand out on the shelf when they are arranged with "regular" beer bottles as the glossy black glass bottle is new to the market and there is nothing else like them right now — they really catch the eye of the consumer.

There will also be a great selection of products such as: candle & diffuser glass, aromatherapy, e-liquid, cosmetic, spirits, food and beer, so visitors can really get a feel for the glass products that we have available.

What does the company have planned for 2017?

A lot of the work that we have started this year will continue into next year as well. We're still working on our expansion and we'll be developing our newer market lines even further. We'll be at Packaging Innovations in Birmingham and will be announcing our new product launches throughout the year — you'll have to keep your eyes open, because there's going to be a lot going on in 2017 too!