70 Years of Bag-in-Box – Invented for better – Meet Bianca Snellens

Please introduce yourself and mention how long you’ve worked in Bag-in-Box and spouted pouch substrates at SIG.

My name is Bianca Snellens, and I’ve been with the company for 36 years. I started back when
we were Scholle Europe BV, then became Scholle IPN, and now we’re part of SIG. It’s been
quite a journey — and I’ve been proud to grow alongside the business.

What originally brought you to this part of the business?

It all started with a four-week job as a packer in production. I was very young at the time, and
what was meant to be temporary became the beginning of a long and fulfilling career. After that, I moved into the Quality department, and that’s where my passion for Bag-in-Box (BIB) and spouted pouch (SP) packaging really began.

What makes working in flexible packaging exciting or unique?

For me, BIB and SP are the best inventions ever! There’s so much depth in how the products
are designed, produced, and optimized. I loved learning all the ins and outs during my 11 years
in Quality Control — and even now, that curiosity hasn’t left me. Every day, there’s something
new to discover or improve.

What’s one challenge you’ve helped solve over the years?

One of the biggest challenges I’ve worked on recently is overall stock reduction across three
key locations: Jellinghaus and Heieinde in Tilburg, Netherlands, and Eisfeld in Germany. As
Team Jellinghaus, we played a big role in making it happen, and I’m really proud of how all the
teams came together to achieve this.

What’s a proud moment or accomplishment from your time here?

Becoming a Trainer-Rework Coordinator was a real milestone for me. In this role, I was
responsible for training every new colleague who joined the company on Bag-in-Box (BIB),
Spouted Pouch (SP), and the rework process. The Rework department plays a crucial role in
giving blocked or non-conforming products a second life by restoring them to standard.

I held this position for 19 years, and what I loved most was sharing my knowledge with others. It’s incredibly rewarding to help others grow — and to know you’ve contributed to their
development, even in a small way.

How has the business evolved — and what’s stayed the same?

So much has changed — new systems, new tools, and more global collaboration — especially
since I’ve moved into my current role as Warehouse Administrator-Master Data (eco system). But what’s stayed the same is the passion people bring to their work and the pride we take in what we do. That’s something special.

What advice would you give to someone just starting out in this space?

Be yourself and stay open — there’s so much to learn here, and if you’re curious, the journey
can be amazing. Trust the process, take in as much as you can, and never be afraid to ask
questions.

Anything else you'd like to share about your journey?

Honestly, what makes my job the best is my colleagues. I mean that from the heart. I’ve learned so much from them over the years — and I’m still learning. To all our colleagues around the world: stay safe, stay healthy, and enjoy life to the fullest. Big hug from me to all of you!