PBN Manufacturing Awards 2024
MEET THE MAKERS: International Packaging Corp.
IN WHAT REMAINS of Rhode Island’s once globally renowned jewelry-making sector, it’s the innovative and adaptive manufacturers that have survived past the industry’s golden age.
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The same sentiment holds true at International Packaging Corp., or Interpak, in Pawtucket. Though the third-generation, family-owned company doesn’t make jewelry, it’s long provided jewelers with the packaging they need to protect their finished products while adding the final flair befitting a luxury item or gift.
It’s now among a dying breed, if not the last of its kind in the U.S., says CEO John Kilmartin.
“We used to have at least half a dozen, close to a dozen U.S. competitors,” Kilmartin said. “[Today] we’re probably about the last custom-made presentation box-maker standing, at least for metal boxes.”
Originally focused on producing cufflink boxes, the company has expanded to serve a wide range of industries, from jewelers to chocolate makers and even record companies like Sony Records. Today, Interpak is one of the last U.S. manufacturers of custom-made presentation boxes, particularly metal ones.
Kilmartin acknowledges the challenges of competing with overseas manufacturers, especially from China, which has drawn away many of Interpak’s former clients. While the company outsourced about 20% of its manufacturing to China, it still produces 80% of its products in its 400,000-square-foot Pawtucket facility, employing around 200 people. The company also operates a facility in China and one in Scotland to stay competitive.
Interpak has embraced lean manufacturing principles, which emphasize self-evaluation to improve efficiency without compromising quality. The company began its shift to lean manufacturing in the early 2000s and continues to refine the process. The Pawtucket facility is organized around these principles, with color-coded signs tracking production progress and a dedicated classroom providing ongoing worker training. This method enables Interpak to produce around 275,000 units per week for about 300 regular customers.
Despite increasing automation, Interpak remains committed to its workforce, investing in new equipment without reducing jobs. President Frank Duffy emphasizes that the company will invest $2 million in new machinery within the year, helping to modernize operations and ensure long-term sustainability.
“We have robots online, we have new machines coming,” Duffy said. “So, it’s an investment in the company, it’s an investment in the future, it’s an investment in employees.”
