adapa continues to build on its transformation journey with a clear ambition: being the European partner of choice for customer-focused packaging solutions.
This direction is reflected in everyday work – in how the company collaborates with customers, how quickly it responds, and how effectively it turns packaging expertise into real value.
Stefano Manfredi, chief sales officer, and Alena Maran, VP strategy & transformation, explain how this translates into day-to-day work. It means moving beyond legacy thinking, sharpening how the business operates and making sure customers benefit from the full strength of adapa, from technical know-how to innovation to manufacturing performance.
At its core, the transformation is simple. adapa is using its expertise in a more focused and effective way, making it easier for customers to access, faster to deliver and more relevant for the future of packaging.
Alena, what are the key changes the company went through in 2025 and early 2026, and what successes would you like to celebrate?
Over the past year, I have seen adapa take clear and deliberate steps away from legacy habits and towards a more aligned way of working. We’re becoming much more intentional about what “good” actually looks like in manufacturing performance, quality and sustainability, and we are applying it consistently across the organisation.
What fascinates me is how interconnected everything has become. Take our machinery today: it needs to be ready for the materials our customers will require tomorrow. We know higher PCR content will become more important by 2029, and we are already preparing for that. What I see today is a stronger focus on linking these elements and thinking in a more consistent way. That is the shift I value most – building on what is already there and sharpening how we prepare for what is coming next.
That also means making better use of the way we operate as a network. adapa has always been set up with a broad range of technologies and capabilities – and that is a real strength. What matters now is how we use that strength in a more connected and consistent way,choosing the right setup, the right technology and the right solution for each customer’s need, and by reliably delivering on our promises every time.
Stefano, you joined adapa recently. What convinced you and what is your focus?
For me, it comes down to discipline and consistency. I train hard to attend endurance competition and you don’t reach the finish line because of one great moment. You get there through preparation, patience and a lot of hard work when no one is watching. That’s exactly how I think about key account management.
What drew me to adapa was the chance to build something more meaningful than a traditional supplier relationship. I saw a company with strong expertise, real technical depth and real untapped potential to become a true partner to its customers – not just a vendor. My ambition is simple: I want customers to bring us in earlier, when the challenge is still taking shape, not only once the specification is set.
My focus is to bring more structure and discipline to how we manage Strategic Accounts – always with one goal in mind: helping customers succeed. I believe that when we do that well, it lifts the entire organisation. The learnings, the standards, the way of working – everything is elevated.
Alena, what is the role of innovation in this transformation?
I’m genuinely proud to lead our innovation team, because the depth of knowledge we have is exceptional. When I look at the expertise and deep understanding we have about materials, structures, formulations and applications, I see a tremendous asset for our customers.
What’s changing is how we use that knowledge. In the past, innovation could drift towards small modifications or short-term adjustments. Today, we’re more selective and more ambitious. For me, transformation means that every new product and customer project starts from the best possible technical foundation, the right structure, the right formulation and the right approach from day one.
It also means focusing on the bigger questions: how to improve performance, how to accelerate recyclability and how to create solutions that bring long-term value. That’s especially exciting when we work alongside leading consumer goods companies, because they often identify market shifts before anyone else. They push innovation forward, and by partnering with them, we can translate those market signals into solutions for the future of packaging and the wider market.
What differentiates adapa from other players in the market?
Alena: For me, it really comes down to the combination of strong technical expertise and how close we stay to our customers. adapa has the strength of a pan-European network, while at the same time remaining flexible and close to local needs.
What I appreciate is how we work in practice. We bring structure and quality, but we don’t slow things down. We stay pragmatic and focused on what actually works. And that ability to combine technical depth with real customer understanding is what truly makes the difference.
Stefano: It starts with how well we understand what our customers deal with every day. We know their machines, we know their applications, and we know what happens to packaging in the real world, whether it goes into a freezer, a microwave, or through an entire supply chain. That kind of understanding makes a real difference.
From my perspective, parts of the industry are becoming more standardised and somewhat more distant from the day-to-day reality of customers. I would like adapa to stand for the opposite. Customer closeness is not a buzzword for me – it is what makes the difference between simply delivering packaging and actually helping customers make the right choices.
From transformation to customer advantage
This much is clear: this transformation is practical, not abstract. adapa is moving beyond legacy ways of working to make its expertise more valuable to the people who rely on it, through faster decision, better solutions, stronger innovation and closer support where it matters most.
The strategy is not built on big words, it is built on what adapa already has – technical expertise, market understanding, innovation capability and network strength – applied with more discipline and a sharper customer focus.
This is what transformation looks like in practice – using existing strengths in a more focused and consistent way to create value for customers.
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