With its 40th anniversary in September, Ringoplast GmbH celebrated not only four decades of company history but also a remarkable development from a small plastics processor to an established supplier of reusable transport solutions, especially for the food industry.
"We can look back on a very positive development overall," says Manuel Hangbers, sales representative. The company was founded in 1985 together with what is now Bekuplast GmbH from the insolvency of a former plastics company. While both companies have developed into different market segments over the years and are now competitors, regular exchanges between the neighbors continue. "There are hardly any synergy effects, but of course, we know each other and exchange ideas occasionally," says Hangbers.
© Ringoplast GmbH
Crisis-proof through diversity
Stability and growth have characterized the company's development over the past decades, despite economic setbacks such as the global financial crisis and the coronavirus pandemic. Hangbers sees the broad range of products as a key factor for success. "Our industry solutions are versatile, ranging from the fruit and vegetable sector to bakery and meat processing to the beverage industry. If one sector weakens, others can compensate for it."
Added to this is a high degree of flexibility: In addition to series production, Ringoplast focuses strongly on customized special solutions. New markets, such as the booming online trade, are also becoming increasingly important.
© Ringoplast GmbH
Trend toward collapsible solutions in the fruit and vegetable sector
There is a particular focus on reusable crates for fruit and vegetables. Here too, Hangbers observes clear trends: "While stable, rigid crates are still preferred for harvesting in the field, the trend in transport and storage is toward space-saving solutions." The fruit and vegetable sector continues to account for a significant share of the company's sales. "Currently, we are seeing a sharp rise in demand for blueberries, for example."
Harvest season 2025: Good weather conditions, rising demand
The current season is going well overall. "The good weather conditions have led to good yields in many regions, which is also reflected in the demand for our products," reports Hangbers. Although there was a noticeable dip in demand during the summer, demand has now picked up significantly again.
© Ringoplast GmbH
Manuel Hangbers at last year's expoSE in Karlsruhe
Looking ahead: Robotics, AI, and cost pressure
Looking ahead to the coming years, Hangbers sees major challenges but also clear opportunities. "The minimum wage will continue to put pressure on cultivation in Germany. Whether production in this country will remain economical is increasingly being raised." At the same time, he hopes that Germany will remain a production location for fruit and vegetables.
There is a high level of enthusiasm for innovation in the sector. He expects important impetus to come from the field of automated and robot-assisted harvesting, often in combination with AI technology, for example, at the ExpoSE trade fair in Karlsruhe, where Ringoplast is exhibiting. Stable raw material and energy prices remain a decisive factor for the company. "The sharp cost increases we experienced at the beginning of the war in Ukraine must not be repeated. That would cause major problems for many businesses," Hangbers concludes.
Visit the company at expoSE in Karlsruhe from November 19-20 in Hall 2, Booth I25.
For more information:
Manuel Hangbers 
© Ringoplast GmbH
RINGOPLAST GmbH
Großringer Straße 24
49824 Ringe-Neugnadenfeld
Tel: +49-5944-9345-54
[email protected]
www.ringoplast.de
