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A PACKAGING CONCEPT
Linkit Concept offers high quality turnkey packaging solutions for brand owners and for the packing industry.
Abigail Saltmarsh examines the solution providers.
AT
Linkit Concept the philosophy is very simple – let us do it for you.
The brainchild of packaging expert Leena Kauppi, who has a long
history in the industry, the company was set up with the aim of taking
responsibility for the print and packaging needs of producers – of overseeing the process
for brand owners from initial concept right through to delivery of the final product.
“I could see that many brand owners were finding packaging a heavy task,” she
explains. “It was hard for them to find their way and to access the best solutions.
“What they needed was a one-stop shop – someone who could help them to find the
best designers, materials and producers, someone who could do everything on their
behalf and bring it all together for them. That was the whole idea behind Linkit Concept.”
Network management
The Finnish company was launched in 2011. Headed up by Ms Kauppi, who brings
her 30-year knowledge of the paper, cardboard and packaging industry to the table, it
comprises a team of experts, including in-house designers.
“Linkit Concept is about network management,” she explains. “Because we can oversee
the whole process, there is no need for the brand owners and producers to have to deal
with a number of different individual companies.
“We can ensure they have access to the best and the newest packaging options and we
can guide them towards the most innovative solutions. By tendering the service providers,
we can also find the most cost-effective and efficient solutions – and, of course, we
can save them valuable time.”
Through its contacts, Linkit can either put brand owners in touch with different
designers or can manage this stage of the process itself. Equally, where suitable, its own
designers will often take the reins. “This way the client has access to the right specialist for
each project,” she adds.
The whole process
With an in-depth understanding of materials, Ms Kauppi and her Helsinki-based
team are adept at sourcing the right raw materials and the necessary converters. They
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understand the process of print and the importance of hand-picking the right printer for
the job.
“We can manage all these parts of the value chain, across different geographical areas.
We are not just selling finished packaging to the end-user, we are taking the brand owner
through the whole process, right through to the final shipping of boxes if necessary.”
The right solution
She explains that Linkit Concept can step into any one of three clearly defined situations.
Firstly, if a brand owner’s current packaging is reaching the end of its lifespan, the
company can step in and oversee ‘a facelift’.
“In this situation, we would work with the current packaging to give it a fresh feel,” she
explains. “Secondly, we are facilitators, we can help a company by stepping in at any stage
of the packaging process and either guiding them, offering them advice or taking it on.
“Thirdly, we can come up with a completely new packaging design, working with the
brand owner to find the right solution. We do a lot of projects like this with completely
new start-ups. Understandably, many companies like this have no idea where to start
when it comes to the packaging element of their product. It is easier for them to hand
it over to us.”
“Because of my background, one of our key strengths is clearly in cardboard and paper
but we can also work with polymers, glass and other materials. It is about assessing the
needs and finding the right raw material.”
A global business
Ms Kauppi predicts strong growth for Linkit Concept. With more stages of the production
process being outsourced it is becoming increasingly complicated for those without
knowledge to navigate their way towards coming up with the right solution.
“I foresee we will be working more and more on a global basis and we are ready for
that,” she points out. “We are all very internationalised people here at Linkit. It is easy for
us to work with customers from across the world and to look for the right solutions on a
global basis, ensuring we save our customers time, money and resources.”
Visit: www.linkit.fi
High quality packaging
Linkit Concept may be a young operation but it is already building a growing reputation
for its successful project. An initial commission was for Finlandia Vodka.
“They wanted to have gift packaging for a bottle – the bottle itself had already been renewed
but the box was missing. This was the first work we had and it was very demanding
but extremely rewarding,” she says.
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