Interview Emmanuelle Molinie – Sales Director Groupe GPS

Madeleine was able to have a conversation with Emmanuelle Molinie, Sales Director of Groupe GPS. In this interview, they talked about managing 3.5 million crate movements across 76 global warehouses, navigating the distinct market dynamics of China, and maintaining supply continuity through recent Middle Eastern logistics crises.

You spent a large part of your career in premium spirits. What motivated your transition to industrial logistics?

I built my career internationally with companies like Pernod Ricard and Codorníu, mainly across export markets, particularly in China, developing a strong ability to connect product, market expectations, and distribution. Even in wine and spirits, I was closely connected to the food ecosystem — agricultural sourcing, production, and global distribution of liquid products.

Moving to GPS was a real shift into a more industrial environment, but the link with the food segment was clear, and I was attracted by the sustainability of the returnable packaging model and the opportunity to scale it globally.

From the outside, managing returnable metal crates globally looks extremely complex. How do you approach it?

With more than 3.5 million movements per year and 76 warehouses worldwide, we operate a global pooling system where the challenge is to have the right crates, at the right place, at the right time, and in the right condition. This requires strong coordination between operations, flow planning, logistics, sales and warehousing with robust processes for cleaning and repairing the crates 

What really makes it work is the combination of people and systems. We rely on highly integrated, collaborative teams across all regions, working closely together. At the same time, we are continuously strengthening our IT capabilities, digitalizing our processes to increase agility and provide real-time visibility to our customers. Ultimately, it’s not just about logistics, it’s about orchestrating a global circular system, driven by strong execution, data, and a deep commitment to quality.

You spent many years in China. How has that shaped your strategy, especially for the tomato sector?

I visited tomato processing plants in China and local traders. China is a huge producer, but it is mainly export-driven, which creates a very specific dynamic. Producers are highly dependent on external markets and often operate through traders, where relationships can be more transactional and driven by short-term opportunities. As a result it is difficult to predict where and when their product will be sold.

And for a returnable system like ours, the key is predictability : we need to know when and where the crates will return to maintain meaningful pricing.

So what I learned from China is that volume alone is not enough : market structure, visibility, and the quality of relationships across the value chain are critical to create long term partnerships.

You joined GPS in 2020. How was that experience during the COVID crisis?

It was definitely a trial by fire. I had to learn a very complex business while dealing with an unprecedented global disruption. Freight costs multiplied, flows were completely unbalanced, and we faced some shortages. We had to make tough decisions, sometimes prioritizing long-term customers—and engage in difficult discussions to pass over some costs that were never anticipated.

Despite unprecedented increases in freight costs, we kept supplying our customers and sustaining operations, even before having full clarity on cost recovery. We chose to continue delivering rather than declaring force majeure. That required a high level of commitment and a strong foundation of trust

GPS historically focused on rubber. What is the role of the food sector today?

Rubber remains our core business, with very large volumes globally.

The food sector has become a key strategic growth area for us. We have developed dedicated solutions such as the GPS7, a 1,250-liter crate designed as a direct alternative to traditional wooden bins, particularly in the U.S. tomato industry. This format is also well suited for global applications such as apple juice concentrate.

The GPS7 builds on more than 30 years of experience in designing ergonomic, durable, and functional crates. In parallel, tomato producers can now choose between two formats: the GPS7 and the larger 1,600-liter GPS1, GPS5, depending on their operational needs. We are also strengthening our commercial capabilities, particularly in US and Europe, to support this growth. The potential is significant, as many end users still rely on drums or wooden bins, while returnable crates offer clear advantages over both.

Our ambition is to support the transition toward more circular and scalable packaging solutions across the food industry.

How do you differentiate GPS from competitors like Goodpack?

There are, of course, technical differences, and some features of our crates are highly valued by our customers. We have customer application to track inventories and supply chain movements end to end, CRM and IOT. Beyond that, differentiation also comes from how we operate.

First, we have a strong engineering and quality-driven culture, with highly structured processes for cleaning, repair, and inspection across our network. Second, our global footprint is a key strength, with more than 70 depots worldwide and the ability to scale and adapt quickly to our customers’ needs. Finally, we are a very agile organization, staying extremely close to our customers — highly responsive, data-driven, and operationally involved. We don’t just provide packaging; we actively support our customers in running their operations efficiently and addressing their challenges.

Why are returnable metal crates superior to alternatives like plastic or drums?

Returnable metal crates combine operational efficiency, financial flexibility and sustainability.

Operationally, it’s very simple: compared to drums, you move more product with fewer handling operations, and you can gain up to 70% more storage per square meter. They are stackable when full, compact when empty, and require much less handling. The financial model is also a game changer. GPS owns and finances the assets, so it’s a pooling system with no CAPEX for our customers. Operationally, it’s also very smooth: we deliver to our customers, and we collect directly from the end users, which creates real peace of mind on all sides. And from a sustainability perspective, it’s a circular model — long lifespan, fully repairable, and continuously reused. We can gain up to 86  % CO2 savings versus one way wooden crates.

So for me, it’s not just packaging — it’s a smarter, more efficient and more sustainable way to run the entire supply chain. And I believe there is much more to come, as we deepen our collaboration with customers on data intelligence — improving visibility on usage, accelerating reordering, and strengthening traceability throughout the supply chain.

Looking at the situation in the Middle East, what specific changes have you had to make to your logistics or stock management to make sure your packaging loops keep running despite the risk of a blockade?

In this type of environment, our priority is to secure continuity of supply and avoid any disruption to our customers’ operations. Concretely, we have reinforced our stock positioning by increasing safety stocks in strategic locations and anticipating potential delays in flows. For each customer, we operate with a primary depot supported by at least two backup depots, ensuring continuity of supply even in case of disruption. We have also adapted our logistics by diversifying routes and closely monitoring transport conditions to react quickly if disruptions occur. At the same time, we have strengthened coordination between our teams and with our customers, ensuring full visibility on stock levels and flows through more frequent communication and data monitoring.

What are the main growth opportunities in the coming years?

In food, the opportunity is global. The U.S. is a key market in the tomato sector, as the largest producer still heavily reliant on wooden bins, offering strong conversion potential to returnable metal crates.

Fruit juice flows represent another major opportunity, driven by large international movements that are particularly well suited to pooling.

We also see strong potential in emerging regions such as Egypt and more broadly across Africa, where production is growing and supply chains are evolving.

What achievement are you most proud of since joining GPS?

Beyond business results, I would highlight the development of a truly cross-cultural global commercial team. Being based at HQ, I work closely with teams across regions, and one of the key achievements has been to build stronger alignment and collaboration globally.

Today, we have a team that shares best practices, works seamlessly across markets, and serves our customers in a much more coordinated way. That collective intelligence is something I’m particularly proud of.

If you had to define the “GPS signature” in one sentence?

A global, highly experienced and committed team delivering circular packaging solutions, enhanced by data-driven insights to optimize our customers’ operational performance.