Plastics packaging group Astrapak’s restructuring and recruitment programme to strengthen its senior management team is nearing completion, the company said in a statement on Wednesday.

“Management has been significantly strengthened in every area of core competence, both at a head office and a divisional level.

“This process continues, but will shortly be concluded, setting the scene for a sustained recovery by the Astrapak group in line with the board-approved two-year plan,” commented newly appointed CEO Robin Moore, who, along with group MD Manley Diedloff, led the organisational redesign.

Moore was, last year, recruited from competitor Nampak, where he established an industry reputation as a turnaround specialist at previously underperforming operations.

Along with Diedloff, he would continue to head operations at the flexible division until further notice, while all other senior leadership posts within the divisional structure had been filled.

The restructure created five focussed and well-resourced divisions, each given critical mass through the merging of previously independently run operations, and completed the transformation from Astrapak’s previous regionally based structure to a focused divisional structure.

The divisions included moulding, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), thermoforming, flexible and development.

Newly appointed senior executives to these divisions included Gareth Elcox as moulding division MD, Henk de Klerk as forming division MD, Grant Mathews as PET MD, Brent Grant as best practice and operational excellence executive, Raymond Moussa as group sales executive and Nawaaz Kalick as group procurement and inbound supply executive.

Appointments would shortly be finalised for the posts of divisional financial director at moulding, forming and PET, divisional human resources director, divisional sales director at moulding and forming, group sustainability executive and group public and investor relations head.

Moore believed the new organisational architecture positioned Astrapak for long-term sustainable growth and would enable re-energised teams to focus on core competence, innovation and improved customer service.