Summit Packaging is a global manufacturer and distributor of aerosol valves and actuators – products that millions of people use every day without even realizing. You’ll find them in the spray cap of your deodorant, hairspray or shaving foam, for example. To guarantee quality, Summit manufactures the product entirely in-house, from raw material through to finished product. According to Remco Overeem, General Manager of Summit Europe, Summit’s success is due in part to the high level of commitment to its staff and its focus on growth and development.
Summit Packaging has its roots in America, where its founder Gordon Gilroy – who is now 98 years old and still active within the company on a daily basis – purchased a small factory in 1976. From these small beginnings he transformed the company into an empire. With five branches and more than a thousand employees, Summit has become a leading player in the manufacture of aerosol valves for spray cans. ‘Even though we now have branches all around the globe, we still very much have a family culture’, says Remco. ‘You can already see that from the remuneration structure within our organization: all our employees share in the profits – even if we have a less successful year.’
Loyal
Remco is straight-talking and likes a no-nonsense mentality. He joined Summit in 1991, just at the point when the company was setting up and expanding its activities in the Netherlands. Over the years he held various positions within the firm, with responsibilities in the areas of implementation, warehousing, quality and planning, until being asked to take up the role of General Manager in 2019. He thinks the company is extremely loyal to its employees. ‘The fact that we have employees over the age of 70 tells you something about our culture. I’m not family, but they see me as such. If you work for a company for such a long time, it becomes part of you. I invest a great deal in my people and think it’s important that they can go about their work with a smile on their face. Twice a day I take a little tour around the shop floor to find out how everything is going. I know almost everyone by name, although with 190 employees it’s getting harder and harder to remember them all.’
Fastest machines
Summit dedicates a lot of time and resources to research and development to ensure the company keeps abreast of the latest technologies in its industry. ‘We are constantly working to develop new production lines, improve existing products and explore new ways of making our production processes more efficient and more sustainable. At the moment we are working with the fastest machines in the world. And we need to, as millions of valves come off the production line every month.’
An example of a recent development is the introduction of the so-called actuator package, which makes it possible for customers to personalize their actuator (the part that activates the spray can) with their own color and logo. ‘These are produced in huge numbers, as they are a popular product. They allow our customers to promote their brand in a new, professional way. To ensure the company can handle this production, the location in Almere has already been expanded several times. ‘We are continuing to grow. Over the next five years, with more machines and new products, I’m expecting us to manufacture around two billion valves per [?] in Europe. Our strength is that we do as much as we possibly can in-house. That way you’re not dependent on other parties, you can guarantee quality and it’s also simply a cheaper way of working.’
Moving forward together with Visser & Visser
In 2019 the company started its partnership with Visser & Visser. The International Business team is working together closely with Summit on the auditing of its financial statements and other tax and legal matters. ‘What I appreciate is the team’s no-nonsense mentality’, says Remco. ‘They’re not men in ties, just ordinary people who fit in well with our corporate culture. You get good advice and now and again you can have a laugh with each other – I like that. In my role, as the person with ultimate responsibility for this branch, it’s reassuring to know that the Visser & Visser team not only carries out audits, but will also give you a signal if something isn’t exactly as it should be. We can then look at it together: what is the cause of the problem and how can we resolve it?’
