DS Smith, part of International Paper, has received Nestlé Germany’s prestigious ‘Lighthouse Award’ at the company’s annual Supplier Awards. The special honour recognises suppliers that establish industry benchmarks and demonstrate exemplary performance.
Nestlé ranks among the world’s leading food companies. Every two years, Nestlé Germany reviews approximately 5,000 suppliers through its Supplier Awards programme. From the 20 highest-performing suppliers, recipients are selected for Bronze, Silver and Gold awards, alongside the special Lighthouse Award. DS Smith earned this distinction for its dependable, long-term collaboration with Nestlé and its consistently high level of customer service.
A relationship built over more than three decades
DS Smith has supplied Nestlé for over 35 years. During the award presentation, Nestlé praised the company’s ability to maintain dependable delivery while handling demanding deadlines and multiple projects at the same time. Nestlé described DS Smith as a true ‘MacGyver of displays’ after the company produced displays in just three weeks following a late change to the delivery timetable, despite the usual six-week production lead time.
Ksenia Stumpf, Strategic Buyer CoPack & Displays at Nestlé, highlighted the value of the relationship in her award speech: “DS Smith has long been far more than just a service provider. It is a reliable partner that supports us with a high level of service commitment and technical expertise, even under tight deadlines and across numerous parallel projects. A partner who takes initiative, thinks ahead and consistently drives projects through to the finish line.”
She added: “Particularly valuable is their role as expert advisers: DS Smith does not just focus on its own scope of services, but always keeps the entire process in view. Through continuous suggestions for optimisation, the team has made a decisive contribution to the ongoing improvement of efficiency and sustainability.”
The award also reflects the growing importance of collaboration across food manufacturing trends, food processing technology and food and drink sustainability. For Thorbjörn Sagerström, Managing Director Central EMEA at DS Smith, Nestlé’s recognition demonstrates the dedication of the company’s employees: “This recognition from Nestlé is, above all, a recognition of our people. It reflects the commitment, expertise and solution-oriented mindset with which our teams support our customers every day. I am proud of this achievement and grateful for the long-standing trust that customers such as Nestlé place in DS Smith.”
Recognition for an approach, not an individual project
DS Smith views the Lighthouse Award as confirmation of the principles that underpin its customer relationships. These include dependable performance beyond contractual expectations, as well as the ability to develop solutions that are sustainable, practical and visually effective. This approach is increasingly relevant as food and beverage industry trends influence food and drink packaging, food distribution trends and wider food and drink consumer trends.
André Bernhard, Strategic Account Manager at DS Smith, said: “We are particularly delighted to receive the Lighthouse Award because it recognises not a single project, but the way we work: working closely with the customer, keeping the entire process in view and striving to find the best solution even under pressure. The fact that Nestlé has placed its trust in us for over 35 years is both an incentive and a benchmark.”
By combining technical expertise with a solutions-focused service model, DS Smith supports customers responding to food and drink industry innovation, changing food and drink regulations and evolving food and drink marketing requirements.
Further information is available at www.dssmith.com.