Packyard OperatorPackyard Operator
©Packyard Operator

Packyard moves to Villeneuve-d'Ascq to triple its production

A family-owned Belgian group specialising in converting cardboard into innovative packaging, Packyard is investing nearly €30 million in a new 20,000 m² production site in Villeneuve d’Ascq. This strategic project marks a key stage in the group’s development, with the ambition of tripling its sales in the cardboard segment, a sector driven by growing demand for more ecological, local and agile solutions. Supported by the Lille European Metropolis and its attraction agency Hello Lille, the company’s expansion is part of a strong regional dynamic, serving a sustainable industry with local roots.

PackyardPackyard
©Packyard
An industrial trajectory shaped by responsiveness and service

Packyard was not born in packaging, but in printing. The company started out some thirty years ago with a Belgian workshop employing 13 people, before gradually diversifying: Solid board boxes, self-adhesive labels on rolls, sleeves and flexible films…

Today, the group has four production sites (in Belgium, the Netherlands and France), 300 employees and a turnover of 75 million euros. Its Bondues site in France, 85% of which is dedicated to food packaging, stands out for its ability to respond quickly to short-run requests, with a high level of customisation. Packyard’s added value also comes from its integrated services: graphic design, regulatory support, advice on materials, R&D development, safety and compliance, etc.

Packaging solutions are systematically validated for direct food contact and meet the most stringent safety standards. Thanks to the family group’s heritage and long-term vision, every customer benefits from an absolute guarantee of consistent quality and personalised service. A comprehensive offering that appeals to major brands and SMEs alike.

Our greatest strength is delivering fast. Despite our size, we behave like a small, responsive organisation, while offering a comprehensive service.

Pierre Andes, Director of the Bondues site
In Villeneuve-d’Ascq, a new industrial site to support growth

In 2010, the Bondues workshop seemed almost oversized. Fifteen years later, the space is fully utilised. This increase in capacity reflects both the Group’s growth and that of the cardboard market, which has once again become central to many manufacturers: recyclable, low-carbon, local, cardboard ticks all the transition boxes.

In response to this dynamic, Packyard chose Villeneuve-d’Ascq as the location for its new production facility. The new site, housed in a former 20,000 m² logistics building, will quadruple its production capacity. It will undergo a complete refurbishment incorporating high environmental standards.

The site was chosen for a number of reasons, including its proximity to Bondues, which enables the company to maintain its experienced teams, excellent transport links (motorways, metro, bus), access to a wider employment area, high industrial visibility and proximity to training establishments. It’s a site designed to last… and to grow.

This project is a further step in our long-term vision: to develop in a buoyant sector, while remaining true to our roots and our way of working. We want this site to be exemplary, modern, sustainable and functional.

Niko Dhondt, Group Director
Hello Lille and the Metropolis, key levers in the project

Right from the start of the project, in the summer of 2024, Packyard was able to count on close support from the European Metropolis of Lille and its attraction agency Hello Lille. This decisive technical, strategic and relational support accelerated the key stages of the project.

As well as providing the essential land and regulatory support, Hello Lille activated its network to connect Packyard with the right local contacts. Thanks to these contacts, the company was able to initiate discussions with key partners in the regional ecosystem, such as Euramaterials, Eurasanté and Euralimentaire, to explore concrete synergies together. The agency also helped to raise the profile of the project by accompanying Packyard to major industrial events such as Viva Fabrica and MIPIM, thereby strengthening its local roots and its appeal in terms of recruitment.

“We felt we were getting real support and very practical help. The teams at Hello Lille understand our industrial challenges. Their enthusiasm and commitment make all the difference. – Niko Dhondt, Group Director

Today, the agency continues to support the project, particularly with regard to its ambitious HR issues.

Target 120 employees: people at the heart of a major industrial project

The new site aims to accommodate up to 120 employees in the long term – a threefold increase in the French workforce. A first wave of 10 recruitments has already been launched, with priority given to driver-setter positions. Over the next three years, Packyard aims to recruit 80 employees, with a view to gradually ramping up. But recruitment promises to be complex. These technical jobs demand rigour, concentration, an eye for detail and team spirit. In-house training, often lengthy (up to two years), is an integral part of the process.

Today, our number 1 concern is not customers, finances or machines. It’s finding the right people.

Direction Packyard

To meet this challenge, Packyard offers attractive working conditions, with flexible working hours, a better work-life balance and a corporate culture based on respect for the community. The Group’s strong commitment to social and environmental responsibility is also at the heart of all new recruitment.

A model of sustainable industry, anchored in the metropolis

With this new facility, Packyard is not just increasing its capacity: it is deploying its vision of sustainable, local industry. Recyclable cardboard, food-safe inks, waste reduction, certified processes… the workshop will be designed to anticipate new standards and embody responsible production.

This industrial transformation is also accompanied by a commitment to the local community. Training, recruiting, passing on know-how, creating skilled jobs… The Villeneuve-d’Ascq site is part of a long-term dynamic.

“We want to build a production plant that is resolutely focused on the future. Our own, but also that of the region. An exemplary facility, designed by and for our teams, combining industrial efficiency and responsibility. – Niko Dhondt, Group Director

Thanks to its accessibility, its industrial ecosystem, its committed public partners and its human resources, the Lille metropolitan area offers Packyard an ideal growth area. Villeneuve-d’Ascq is not just a new site: it’s a foundation for long-term industrial leadership.

Project monitored by

Sophie DupontSophie Dupont
©Sophie Dupont
Sophie Dupont
Implementation project manager

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