2021: End of year message from Topa Thermal CEO, Hein Stevens

Hein Stevens, CEO of Topa Thermal, sees exciting times ahead for the thermal packaging innovator in 2022, which marks 100 years of the Topa group. Here, as he reflects on the challenges of 2021 and thanks customers and staff for their support and achieving incredible things, he highlights the growing importance of ‘why’ vs ‘how’, because “when we understand the ‘why’, anything is possible!”

I would like to thank all our customers for their support over the last year. I also want to praise our amazing Topa Thermal team, for working exceptionally hard and achieving incredible things.

As 2021 draws to a close, we can say that this year has been just as challenging as 2020. We have all had to continue to adapt to constant change. However, despite the ‘new normal’ of video meetings we have had some enjoyable opportunities to work together again, carefully.

Throughout it all, Topa Thermal’s exciting thermal packaging developments have continued apace. As a result, we have connected with new customers, suppliers and partners this year from biotech, pharmaceutical and third-party logistics companies, across the globe.

The Topa Thermal team has also grown, with new associates in the fields of technical development, sales and marketing joining the company, boosting our ability to protect the pharmaceutical cold chain – and ultimately patient health – with high performance, easy to use thermal packaging solutions.

The COVID-19 pandemic has made many companies and industries reconsider the way they do things. And the shipping of pharmaceuticals – and vaccines in particular – is no exception. Together with our design and product engineers at our Innovation Centre, Topa Institute, we knew we could help increase the speed to market of these, and other, life-saving products. During the year we therefore launched our °Connex line of thermal packaging which, with over 250 pre-qualified items, is the widest range of off-the-shelf, ready to use thermal packaging available.

On a personal note, it has been refreshing to see a growing importance of the ‘why?’ instead of the ‘how?’ A growing appreciation and understanding of ‘why’ we and our partners work together. Instead of focussing on the traditional ‘how’ we work together. If the challenges of 2020 and 2021 have demonstrated anything it’s that the ‘how’ can change very dramatically but when we help each other to understand the ‘why’, anything is possible!

Looking forward to 2022, we celebrate 100 years of the Topa group, a milestone in our company history! Of course, we have come a long way since then in terms of packaging innovation and I am particularly excited about the continued expansion of °Connex with more innovative products ready to launch in the coming months.

Thank you for your continued support and confidence in Topa Thermal.

With my very best wishes of the season to you and your families and a happy, healthy and successful New Year.

Hein Stevens, CEO, Topa Thermal