Mansfield, who will join the Glasgow-headquartered packaging giant later this month, brings to the group protective packaging industry experience both from a manufacturer and distributor perspective.
He worked at Sealed Air for 19 years in a variety of sales and executive leadership roles and, most recently, has been part of the Bunzl UK senior team as its managing director of Lightning Packaging Supplies.
Mansfield will report directly to Macfarlane Group CEO Peter Atkinson and will have responsibility for the central sales, marketing, operations, and purchasing functions of Macfarlane Packaging.
Atkinson commented: “A strong leadership team is a key part of our strategy and I am confident that David’s extensive experience, knowledge and proven ability to lead successful teams will make him an excellent addition to Macfarlane Packaging.
“We look forward to him joining us this month and wish him every success in this new role.”
Mansfield added: “Macfarlane Packaging is the industry leader in protective packaging distribution and I’m proud to be taking on this role. I relish the opportunity to help the business to develop and grow.”
Separately, Macfarlane has asked consumers to share their opinions on packaging after launching its eighth annual unboxing survey.
The company said the survey provides “invaluable, constructive insights into consumer experiences with e-commerce packaging and the impact it has on their online shopping habits”.
Consumers will be able to contribute to the research until 21 August 2023.
This year’s research aims to assess if consumers’ packaging priorities have changed in light of the cost-of-living crisis and if sustainable packaging is becoming a decision-maker for even more consumers when choosing to shop online with a brand.
Last year, over 1,000 consumers responded and the results of the survey revealed the changes retailers have made to their packaging over the years.
For example, only 14% of consumers reported overpacking in 2022 compared to 41% when the survey began in 2016. The 2022 survey also revealed that consumers continue to be eco-conscious, with almost 30% reporting they wouldn’t purchase from a retailer if their packaging wasn’t sustainable.
