‘We reinforce one another’

What does a ‘strategic partnership’ mean?
“That we don’t just have a client-supplier relationship, but that we also try to reinforce each other structurally. We do that mainly by sharing our knowledge with each other, and by collaborating intensively in the field of product development.”
 
You provide Vetipak with a lot of specialist knowledge, that’s clear. But what about the other way around?
“At the start of our partnership, the exchange of knowledge was more of a one-way street. After all, we’re specialists in a field where Vetipak didn’t have as much experience at the time. But so much has happened since then. Vetipak has gained so much more knowledge, so our partnership includes the strategic level as well as exchanging technical knowledge.”
 
So what does Vetipak offer you, in addition to the projects?
“The same thing we offer them: knowledge. Where Vetipak applies our knowledge in the field of various flexible packaging films, we learn from them in other areas. Not just technically, but also commercially. Vetipak has a highly developed ‘market sense’: they know exactly what’s going on in the market. That information helps us move forward together, and to complement one another.”
 
That sounds like a partnership made in heaven...
“Absolutely, but even the best partnerships have problems once in a while. The good thing is that we don’t point fingers at one another. We think in terms of solutions, not of who’s to blame.”
 
So you’re not tired of each other yet?
“Absolutely not, there are still plenty of new challenges ahead of us! And we’re both entrepreneurial and innovative enough to meet them.”