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[ES] All about the history of RAJA® and the origin of our name

6min read 01/08/2023

It’s hard to believe, but it’ s been almost 70 years since the birth of our company. RAJA® started as a small and modest union of two enterprising women and grew into a leading European B2B company for the distribution of packaging, supplies and equipment. Do you want to know where the origin of our name comes from? Here you will discover the founding of RAJA® and how the company has grown to the present day – hop in our time machine!

The history of RAJA® decade by decade: from 1954 to the present day.

1950-59. The birth of Cartons RAJA

In 1954, two entrepreneurs, Rachel Marcovici and Janine Rocher, created a company called Cartons RAJA, the name being formed by the first two letters of each of their names. Encouraged by a constructive spirit during the post-war years, these two partners decided to use recycled cardboard, which was much less expensive than new cardboard.

This simple idea, but one that certainly met the needs of the time, was the beginning of a company that has continued through the generations to adapt to the circumstances of each historical context. The initials of the first names of the two founders gave rise to a brand that has perpetuated their project of offering practical and quality solutions for more than 60 years.

Rachel Marcovici y Danièle Kapel-Marcovici

Although Janine soon left the business, Rachel’s husband, Maurice, joined in 1956 to take over the management of the company. Thanks to Mrs. Marcovici’s energy and entrepreneurial vision, Cartons RAJA was a real success. It quickly incorporated new solutions, such as corrugated cardboard, gummed banding, kraft paper and padded bags, and used original sales methods for the time, sending samples and prices by post.

1960-69. The arrival of Danièle Marcovici

At the age of 16, Danièle Kapel-Marcovici, Rachel’s daughter and the current Managing Director 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, both the founder and her daughter created packaging using the latest technologies of the time, such as plastics in the 1970s and the revolutionary Rajamousse foam, and took part in market developments in terms of both services and advertising.

1970-79. Publication of the first Cartons RAJA catalogue.

In 1975, Danièle Kapel-Marcovici, as Marketing Director, created the company’s advertising department and launched the first Cartons RAJA catalogue . This innovative publication had 24 pages in black and white and its print run of 10,000 copies served as a way of complementing the work of the sales staff.

Primer catálogo de Cartons RAJA

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

Danièle Kapel-Marcovici officially took over the management of the company in 1982. By then, this small company had already become the pioneer in the distribution of catalogue packaging in France, with a staff of 50 people.

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 name of the company and Cartons RAJA became simply RAJA®. Through hard work and investment in technology and logistical structures, the company aims to become the number one in national packaging, one of its main objectives being to deliver orders throughout France in less than 48 hours, a unique service on the market at the time. In 1992, the Pad-Pack machine was awarded the Packaging Oscar.

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

2000-09. Internet sales begin and RAJA® grows with new sectors.

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

On the other hand, the company continues to expand throughout Europe and Rajapack Spain is established in 2003 in Barcelona. The next countries to join Rajapack are Austria (2004), Italy (2006), Czech Republic (2007) and Switzerland (2008).

Throughout this decade, RAJA® opens up to new markets by founding RAJAfood, for food packaging, and by acquiring the companies L’Equipier, dedicated to the distance selling of hygiene, sanitary and maintenance products, andWelcome Officespecialising in the B2B distribution of office equipment and furniture in France.

In addition, in 2006, Danièle Kapel-Marcovici created the RAJA-Danièle Marcovici Foundation to support non-profit organisations working for the emancipation and defence of women’s rights in France and around the world.

In 2019 the names of the Rajapack subsidiaries are unified as RAJA®.

With the acquisition of Postemballasje in Norway and Crosstrade in Poland in 2010, the company reaches new European markets and continues its expansion across Europe with the arrival of Rajapack in Denmark (2010), Sweden (2012), Slovakia (2016) and Portugal (2016).

Its growth continues unstoppably with the acquisition 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.

The year 2019 marks a new name change for the brand, as all European Rajapack subsidiaries are grouped under the unified RAJA® brand.

Todo sobre la historia de RAJA® y el origen de nuestro nombre

2021. Acquisition of Viking

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

RAJA® figures today

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

RAJA® continues to offer the widest range of packaging on the market with the same guarantee and quality, catering for all types of business regardless of size or location, from multinationals and large companies to SMEs and the self-employed. From industry to services, the group’s two million customers come from all sectors of activity.

In our extensive catalogue, we have more than 250,000 products in stock to meet all professional protection, packaging and dispatch needs. In conclusion, with a turnover of 1.72 billion euros in 2022, RAJA® is proud to be the leading European packaging distribution company.

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