Both starting at the business on 1 June, Fredrik Johansson will be based in Sweden and will focus on the Nordic markets while Mark Khoukh will be based in Switzerland and will focus on the DACH region (Germany, Austria and Switzerland) as well as business development in the Middle East and Africa.
The new hires will enable Oppboga Bruk managing director Andrew Robinson to increase the company’s focus on the UK market, where it is eyeing up further growth in the areas of laminated paperboard and luxury packaging.
“The new sales managers will take care of markets that were previously under my leadership and that will give me extra time to focus on core development markets, like the UK,” said Robinson.
“We’ve started to make some really good progress in the UK in the last three years and it’s gone from being a minor market to one of our top five, with double-digit growth in recent years.”
He added: “We’ve been in the sign and display market for a long time and we have a strong position there in the UK already but we see a big opportunity moving forward with our products as sustainable alternatives to plastic when it comes to single use signage. We’ve got recyclable, sustainable alternatives to plastic for both indoor and outdoor signage.
“So with every big retailer in the UK reassessing their relationship with plastic, we’re in a very good position with our product offer to provide solutions to enable people to reduce their plastic consumption.”
The company has also been steadily increasing its presence in the luxury packaging market in recent years.
“We’ve had a particular focus and a lot of success with luxury beverage cartons, particularly for high-end spirits. Products like gin have been getting a new lease of life and there are a lot of independent boutique distilleries that are looking to place their product among some very well-established brands.
“One way of doing that is by packaging the product in an elegant way that attracts consumer attention.”
Oppboga Bruk has 40 staff and turns over around £12m. In the UK it works with distributors including Swanline to serve the sign and display market. It supplies its luxury packaging products direct to printers and brand owners.
