[SK] All about the history of RAJA

It’s hard to believe, but it’s been 70 years since our company was founded. RAJA started as a small, humble association of two entrepreneurial women and has grown to become Europe’s leading B2B packaging, consumables and equipment distribution company. Do you want to know the origin of our name? In this article you will learn how RAJA was founded and how it has grown to the present day. Hop in our time machine!

RAJA’s history decade by decade: from 1954 to the present

1950-59. The emergence of Cartons RAJA

In 1954, two enterprising women, Rachel Marcovici and Janine Rocher, founded Cartons RAJA, the name of which was created by combining the first two letters of their first names. Encouraged by the constructive spirit of the post-war years, the two entrepreneurs decided to use recycled cardboard, which was much cheaper than new cardboard.

This simple but undoubtedly effective idea was the basis of a company that has constantly responded to changes in its historical context over the generations. The initials of the two founders’ first names gave rise to a brand that has maintained their project of offering practical and quality solutions for more than 60 years.

Although Janine soon left the business, Rachel’s husband, Maurice, became involved in the leadership and management of the company in 1956. Thanks to the energy and entrepreneurial vision of Mrs. Marcovici, Cartons RAJA became a real success. She quickly began to offer new solutions such as corrugated cardboard, adhesive tape, kraft paper or padded bags, and used original sales methods for her time, such as sending samples and quotations by post.

1960-69. The arrival of Danièle Marcovici

At the age of 16 , Danièle Kapel-Marcovici, daughter of Rachel and current CEO of the RAJA Group, joined the family business as a sales representative, selling packaging to Parisian companies.

Aware of the need to adapt to changing times, the founder and her daughter created packaging using the latest technologies of the time, such as the plastic materials of the 1970s or the revolutionary Rajamousse foam, and contributed to the evolution of the market at both the service and advertising levels.

1970-79. Publication of the first Cartons RAJA catalogue

In 1975, Danièle Kapel-Marcovici, as marketing director, set up the company’s advertising department and published the first Cartons RAJA catalogue. This innovative publication contained 24 pages of black and white print and a print run of 10,000 copies to complement the work of the sales representatives.

1980-89. Danièle Kapel-Marcovici as Managing Director of Cartons RAJA

Danièle Kapel-Marcovici officially became CEO of the company in 1982. At that time, this small company with 50 employees had already become a pioneer in the distribution of packaging through catalogues in France.

1990-99. Cartons RAJA becomes RAJA and expands in Europe as Rajapack

With the arrival of the 1990s, Danièle Kapel-Marcovici decided to change the company’s name and Cartons RAJA became simply RAJA. The company aspired to become the leading packaging supplier in France and one of its main objectives was to deliver orders throughout France within 48 hours, a service that was unique in the market at the time. In 1992, the Pad-Pack machine won the “Oscar for packaging” award.

In addition, the company grew exponentially during this decade and expanded throughout Europe, starting in Belgium after the acquisition of Binpac in 1994 and continuing to the Netherlands (1997), the United Kingdom (acquisition of AidPack in 1998) and Germany (1999). The subsidiaries in these European countries are called Rajapack.

2000-09. Internet sales started and RAJA expanded into new sectors

The year 2000 brought a new revolution for RAJA with the launch of a website and a new online sales service.

In addition, the company continued to expand in Europe and in 2003 Rajapack Spain was founded in Barcelona. Other countries that joined Rajapack were Austria (2004), Italy (2006), the Czech Republic (2007) and Switzerland (2008).

During this decade , RAJA opened up to new markets with the creation of RAJAfood, a food packaging company, and the acquisition of L’Equipier, a company specialised in remote sales of hygiene, health and maintenance products, and Welcome Office, a specialist B2B distributor of office supplies and furniture in France.

In addition, in 2006, Danièle Kapel-Marcovici founded the RAJA-Danièle Marcovici Foundation, which supports non-profit organizations fighting for the liberation and protection of women’s rights in France and worldwide.

In 2019, the names of the Rajapack subsidiaries were unified under the single brand RAJA.

Following the acquisition of Postemballasje in Norway and Crosstrade in Poland in 2010, the company entered new European markets and continues to expand across Europe by adding Rajapack companies in Denmark (2010), Sweden (2012), the Slovakia (2016) and in Portugal (2016).

Its growth has continued unabated with the acquisitions of other companies such as CENPAC, JPG and Bernard in France, Morplan in the UK, UDOBÄR in Germany, Mondoffice in Italy and Kalamazoo in Spain.

In 2019, the brand name is changing as all Rajapack’s European subsidiaries are being grouped under the unified RAJA brand.

2021. Acquisition of Viking

RAJA Group strengthens its position in the office supplies and equipment market with the acquisition of the Viking brand, the Office Depot Europe e-shop and the Office Depot Europe contract store in seven European countries: the UK, Ireland, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, the Netherlands and Belgium.

RAJA’s current data

Today,the RAJA Group employs approximately 4,500 people. Our company operates in 19 European countries, with 15 distribution centres and 390,000 m2 of warehouse space.

RAJA continues to offer the widest range of packaging on the market with the same guarantee and quality, catering to all types of businesses regardless of size or location, from multinationals and large companies to SMEs and sole traders. The Group’s two million customers come from all sectors of activity, from industry to services.

We have over 250,000 products in our extensive catalogue to meet all professional protection, packaging and transport needs. In conclusion, with a turnover of EUR 1.72 billion in 2022, RAJA is proud to be Europe’s leading packaging distribution company.