Discovering Why a British Manufacturer Supplies Derby
Custom Pack Pack Studio is part of KennedySmith (Press) Ltd, a manufacturer that has been creating print and packaging in Scotland since 1997.
When you raise questions about a finish, a material, or a deadline, you are speaking to a person who operates the press daily. They do not need to pass the question on to an overseas factory and hold on for a reply.
UK to UK delivery is quick and reliable in a way an international order seldom is.
The majority of orders are ready in two to three weeks after you confirm the proof, and once dispatched, our courier network delivers to Derby addresses within one to two working days.
Compare that with the typical 8 to 12 week baseline lead time for packaging shipped from the EU or the Far East, before you even factor in a delayed container or a customs delay.
If you have an significant launch deadline or event cut-off, do let us know at the enquiry phase.
We can confirm openly whether the timescale is suitable rather than making a quick turnaround that lets you down.
Personalised packaging for Derby enterprises
The box styles we offer suit the majority of products, and each one is manufactured to your dimensions and produced with your branding.
The format that is best suited depends on how the product is marketed and sent, so the fastest way to reach the correct answer is to let know our packaging experts what you are packing.
Store and Goods Packaging
A printed carton takes care of the selling on shop shelves when no one from your crew is there to talk through the product.
Reverse tuck end boxes are ideal for lighter retail goods such as cosmetics, supplements and beauty products, while a crash lock base provides heavier products with a secure floor that will not collapse in transport.
Each one are printed on every panel, including the inside, so the branding remains visible however the box is positioned on a shelf or in a stockroom.
Shipping boxes for online sellers
Derby’s online retail brands are fulfilled without interruption.
A custom mailer box is often the sole physical interaction a customer has with a brand, as there is no shop visit or personal handover to rely on.
Printed on both the inside and exterior, it helps protect the product across the courier network while turning the unboxing itself a marketing moment. A correctly fitted box also cuts down on the damage and returns that a ill-fitting one creates.
A unmarked brown outer will bring the parcel, but it shows nothing to the customer about who sent it or why it looks the way it does.
Create a strong first impression the moment your delivery arrives with Custom Pack Studio.
Present and Exhibition Boxes
Custom gift boxes are important.
A solid box with a flush closure, foil stamping on the lid, or a soft-feel coating changes how a product comes across before it is even opened.
It is specifically the case for jewellery, perfume and boutique food brands, where the packaging forms part of what the customer has paid for.
Foil stamping is the finish that does the most work on a shelf, drawing the light in a way flat print never can, while soft-touch coating works better once the box is actually in a person’s hands, as it feels premium the moment they pick up it.
The embossing effect sits between the two, creating a logo that you can both feel and see, and it works very well on jewellery and perfume boxes where the surface itself becomes part of the presentation.
Sleeves and wallets
Not every branding project calls for a full box rebuild.
A branded sleeve goes over an existing tray or product, bringing your logo and branding without the need to rework the entire pack, which is well suited for a limited advertising run or a limited-edition variant.
A wallet style box folds around flatter products such as cards or cosmetics sets, and printed inserts prevent loose items from moving inside a larger box during transit.
Corrugated packaging and shipping cartons
A folding carton will never withstand a prolonged courier journey or a breakable item by itself.
Fluted board is made for this purpose.
We create corrugated cardboard boxes to bespoke pack sizes and print them in colour, so a Derby brand delivering across the country gets added protection and brand identity built into one package, far beyond a plain double walled box with a sticker affixed on top.
Sectors Served Throughout Derby
Derby’s commercial portfolio encompasses beauty and skincare brands, jewellery makers, food producers, corporate offices and e-commerce companies.
F&B businesses are subject to the toughest requirements, as safety in contact with the product is prioritised over any thought of how the box is presented.
That is where our BRC Global Packaging certification at High Hygiene level makes all the difference, whether you are a small batch bakery or a wholesale supplier. This is the standard that supermarket buyers and independent retailers often want to see before they will list a new product.
Jewels brands often receive greater value from their packaging spending than most other categories.
A solid box with a tailored insert is often holding an item worth far more than the box itself, so the presentation must convey that worth.
Beauty and perfume brands use protective fitments and premium finishes for the same reason. The product is small, so the box does most of the selling on a shelf.
E-commerce and recurring businesses need a mailer that gets to the customer through the courier network undamaged.
For many online sellers, the parcel is the single physical connection a customer has with the brand.
There is no minimum order, every quantity is allowed.
Ask most packaging suppliers for 50 boxes produced with your design.
You may frequently be asked to come back once you are able to pledge to 500, 1,000, or more. That is a considerable request for a Derby business evaluating a new product or testing a small batch before it scales.
We do not apply any minimum requirement.
Buy a one sample to check print quality, fifty boxes for a market stall, or several thousand once a retail listing verifies demand. The procedure and pricing model remain the same at every quantity.
Unit price reduces as quantity increases, which is typical throughout the sector.
Subsequent orders use the original artwork and arrangement, so you are never charged twice for the design fee.
We verify pricing and delivery time in writing before production begins, so there is no real difference between the estimate and the invoice amount.
Assistance with design support provided, at any stage you’re in
You don’t need an in house designer to order custom packaging here.
If you already have a logo and a basic idea of what you need, that is sufficient to start. Our team will sort out the box structure, create the print ready artwork and provide a proof for your approval before anything goes to press.
For a product that does not suit an off-the-shelf format, structural design is already included in the price. It is not billed as an extra.
Files supplied as a JPEG are rebuilt to the required print specification.
The majority of artwork comes lacking the resolution or bleed that a box truly needs.
Our team verifies colour accuracy, resolution and bleed against the press profile before anything else enters production, helping to ensure the finished print reflects what you confirmed.
If you would prefer to talk through the options before confirming a specification, a design meeting is on offer.
You can equally use our own online design tool if you would like to design the artwork yourself.
Responsibly sourced, recyclable materials
Every carton we make is fully recyclable and made from board certified by FSC and PEFC. This shows it can be traced through an checked supply chain back to a well managed forest.
We’re moving away from single use plastic and EPS foam throughout the range, replacing them with paper-based and biodegradable alternatives wherever the format allows. Those materials break down effectively at the end of their life in a way that plastic and foam do not.
If a credible sustainability claim is important to you and your customers, we can support guide you through the different ways your bespoke packaging contributes to reducing waste.
Reasons Derby Brands Select Custom Pack Studio for Packaging Provider
A lone factory from beginning to completion
Every box we make is cut, decorated and completed entirely within our Irvine factory.
The same team oversees quality throughout every stage, rather than the work being handed from one subcontractor to another.
A colour that appears right on screen does not always print the same, and the person reviewing it is the one running the press.
Any issues are identified and rectified before a box reaches dispatch, by the very same team that initially noticed the issue.
Board and ink are additionally sourced from the very same suppliers, time after time, so a colour that matched your first proof will continue to match your fifth reorder after two years.
Bolstered by just under 30 years in the print and packaging industry
Custom Pack Studio began in 2025, yet the factory behind it dates back much further.
We are part of KennedySmith (Press) Ltd, a respected print and packaging manufacturer that has operated presses since 1997.
That history gives us strong relationships with board mills and material suppliers. It also means a team that has already tackled most of the issues a new packaging order can create.
It happens in nuanced ways, such as realising which board weight will withstand a courier journey.
It is as well why we can deal with a delicate perfume box and a heavy duty shipping carton in the same week, with presses that have managed both for many years.
An assigned dedicated contact for the duration of your order
You will be looked after by the identical person from your original enquiry right through to the completed handover.
There is not any transfer between a sales team and a separate production department.
They understand your requirements, your deadline and what you asked for at the proofing stage, so you do not have to repeat yourself at each stage.
If a material is back-ordered or a finish needs revisiting, you will be contacted directly from the person managing your job.
It equally means you are not needing to recount your request from the beginning to someone new halfway through the production process.
You can call, message or contact that person straight away, without having to go through a general enquiries inbox first.
A exact procedure, whatever the amount.
A single sample and a five thousand unit reorder receive the same proofing and inspection checks before either leaves the factory.
Nothing is done in haste just because the run is small, and no part of it is inspected more closely merely because it is large.
A Derby business piloting a new product receives the same level as one ordering again for a national retail listing. The process remains unchanged no matter the order size.
That uniformity is more important far more than any small saving on a larger run, because a incorrectly matched batch often ends up costing more to put right than it was saved in in per-unit price.
Whether it is 50 for a market test or many thousands for a retail rollout, the proofing sign off functions in exactly the same way on every occasion.
Get a free quotation for bespoke packaging in Derby
Call 01294 314 919 or email contact@custompackstudio.co.uk. Tell us what you are packing, approximately how many you require, and how the product is sold or shipped. We will reply with a written quote and no obligation to place an order.
Not ready to commit to a full run? Request a free physical sample first. You’ll see precisely how the colour appears in natural light and how the soft touch finish feels in your hand, rather than trying to judge it from a screen.
Design support is constantly available whenever you require it, there is no set minimum order to meet, and every box is customised to your product rather than selected from a shelf of templates.
We make every item in-house and deliver to Derby and locations across the UK from our own factory in Irvine. Browse our full range of packaging products or contact the team straight away to begin.
