Packtech Tooling: Precision engineering learnt from the factory floor

Think about the last box you opened.

If it closed cleanly, folded perfectly and looked sharp, you trusted the product inside.

If it didn’t, the brand felt weaker immediately.

That moment is not by chance. It is the result of systems working properly.

Packtech Tooling, based in Cape Town and led by Kim Naran, sits at the start of that system.

Packtech Tooling, a specialised manufacturing business based in Cape Town, has built a strong reputation within South Africa’s printing and packaging sector. 

Founded by Werner Weber, the company supplies precision tooling to the printing, packaging and narrow web label industries across South Africa and parts of the African continent. 

Today, the business is headed by Managing Director Kim Naran, whose leadership reflects decades of hands-on industry experience.

Kim’s journey did not begin in leadership. She started as a cleaner on the factory floor and worked her way into the craft, learning each step by hand.

Packtech Tooling focuses on producing specialised design tooling that supports large-scale manufacturing. 

The company manufactures metal, flexographic, photographic and wood-based tooling used by printers and packaging manufacturers to cut, fold and shape materials accurately. 

These processes play an essential role in ensuring that packaging production runs efficiently and consistently across high-volume manufacturing environments.

Behind every box, label or folded package lies a carefully prepared tooling process. 

Packtech Tooling’s work forms part of the technical preparation required before packaging moves into mass production, enabling manufacturers to achieve precise alignment, clean cutting and reliable folding throughout the production cycle.

Expanding Technical Capability

Over time, Packtech Tooling has broadened its services beyond tooling manufacture. The company provides engineering support that includes die-cutting solutions, CNC machining and general engineering services, allowing clients to access multiple technical capabilities under one roof. 

Investment in specialised machinery, alongside a focus on research and development, ensures that the business remains aligned with evolving local and international tooling technologies. 

The knowledge and experience of its workforce remain central to the company’s operations. Skilled staff members contribute to maintaining consistent manufacturing standards while supporting clients with practical, production-focused solutions.

Kim’s Advice to Other Business Owners

Working within a traditionally male-dominated manufacturing environment required strong technical understanding and operational expertise. Her progression reflects a leadership approach grounded in experience, skills development and a detailed understanding of the production environment.

“My big lesson for other business owners is this: learn the principles before you chase the answer. I started at the bottom and learnt every step by hand. I made mistakes, I redid work, and I asked ‘why’ until I understood it. That’s what helped me sell with confidence, fix problems faster, and choose the right machines to invest in.”

Looking Ahead

Looking to the future, Packtech Tooling aims to expand its capabilities by strengthening manufacturing capacity, a project they are approaching carefully by identifying key clients to ensure their investment has a market.

Pavlo’s growth tip, based on their story, is this: commit, then build. "Build it and they will come" is not a strategy. 

Partner with a few key customers, confirm what will win their custom, and offer them a first-mover advantage in return for commitment. Then you scale with that commitment behind you, and funders back you because the risk is lower.

This Future50 feature was presented by Pavlo Phitidis from Aurik and powered by FNB Business.

For more stories of Future50 businesses, or to nominate your business, head here.