With the acquisition Dozenhal by Van de Velde Packaging, the owners Pieter and Petra de With will step down. However, the couple will remain active in the company, which continues to serve its customers in a familiar way and maintain its focus on trade and the production of corrugated cardboard packaging, regardless of the new situation.

With a clear list of requirements, Pieter and Petra de With knocked on the door of Tom Beltman and Youri Livius, who supported the entrepreneurs during the process. “They wanted a 100% acquisition; that was the aim from the beginning. De Dozenhal has, partly thanks to the growing demand for packaging in the e-commerce industry and the switch from plastic to cardboard, grown substantially and for Pieter, this brought additional operational tasks with it. His heart, however, lies with the trading so it became time to search for a new owner”, Youri says.

Pragmatic and straightforward

There was significant interest in De Dozenhal, and all of the potential candidates were characterised by their connection to the packaging industry. “That was one of our client’s criteria”, according to Youri. “Van de Velde Packaging presented itself early on in the process. Their interest was very concrete and they quickly wanted to move on with the process. During the first meeting, it became clear that there were similar types of people gathered at the table; all pragmatic and straightforward. The entire process proceeded without a problem.”

For both companies, the acquisition means new opportunities to realise growth ambitions. “De Dozenhal’s extensive professional knowledge and years of experience will contribute to expanding the company’s market position in corrugated cardboard packaging. The international customer portfolio, scale and Van de Velde Packaging Group’s ambitions provide De Dozenhal with long-term continuity, new growth possibilities and access to the group’s experience and expertise”, Pieter and Petra commented.

Sustainability and online sales

De Dozenhal trades in used and new cardboard boxes for the B2B market. The company distinguishes itself by the sustainable purchasing of used cardboard boxes and the remaining stock of new cardboard boxes; thereby contributing to a circular economy. The company carries out most of its logistics in-house. “De Dozenhal contributes to sustainability and responds to the packaging industry’s current trends. Pieter and Petra sold their company at the right time”, concludes Youri.

Looking back on the transaction, Tom Beltman is also satisfied. “We see a high degree of consolidation in this industry: a large number of transactions where large companies acquire smaller parties. I expect this trend will continue for the time being. In this specific process, it is nice to work with a couple that has built the company into what it is today. They ultimately gave us the confidence to help them in this final stage. For us, it is great to see that all parties are happy with the result after completing the process.”