Macfarlane Group, the Glasgow-based packaging, design and distribution firm, has appointed Joost Meijs to the new role of Managing Director, Macfarlane Packaging Distribution, Europe, as the company strengthens its presence in the European protective packaging market.

In recent years the company has expanded its strategic European presence with the acquisition of the Packmann protective packaging business in Germany.

Meijs will join the group on January 1, 2025, reporting directly to Macfarlane CEO Peter Atkinson. He will work with Macfarlane’s existing European team to further expand the company’s presence in Europe and support the PackMann team to achieve their growth plans.

He will also provide additional resource to progress further European acquisitions.

Atkinson said: “Growing our presence in Europe is a strategic priority for Macfarlane as our customers increasingly look for a single supplier solution for their European operations. With his experience, knowledge and a proven ability to lead European- based businesses, Joost will add an additional level of expertise, enabling us to maximise our potential in the European market.”

Meijs said: “This is a great time to join Macfarlane and I plan to use my knowledge of the European protective packaging market to support the company’s European expansion plans. Meeting the needs of our customers is my primary focus and I look forward to working with the Macfarlane team to support our customers’ growth aspirations.”

Meijs has extensive experience in the protective packaging industry. He has held senior roles at FP and at Pregis. Most recently he was the CEO of Tenfold, a privately owned protective packaging business in The Netherlands.