Richard Coombes
General Manager | GWP Protective
Richard has worked at GWP Protective in a number of differing roles since early 2004 – joining when the company was still known as Eastman Packaging.
Originally working on the shop floor manufacturing cases and foam inserts, in 2009 Richard became the Internal Sales Manager, and then, in 2014, took over the running of the division as General Manager.
This succession through the business means Richard has a huge depth of knowledge of all aspects of not only GWP Protectives’ business, but also of the full range of products it supplies and manufactures.
This expertise across foam inserts, packaging, protective cases and sample cases makes him perfectly placed to advise on the best solution for any specific application or industry. This in turn has allowed Richard to oversee a successful period of investment in new equipment and resources, as well as strong sales and revenue growth.
When not heading up the team at GWP Protective, Richard likes to spend time with his young family as well as trips to the cinema and live shows / events.
Featured Publications
News, stories and community projects involving Richard Coombes
Please click the links below to see press coverage of the projects that Richard has been involved with whilst working at GWP Group.
Latest Articles
Guides, articles and opinion from Richard Coombes
See below for all of the latest articles, guides and blog posts written by Richard Coombes.
Contact Richard
Help & Advice...
Free PDF Download
Get your free guide to see exactly how you can eliminate costly damage to your tools or equipment.
Latest Articles
Guides, articles and opinion from Richard Coombes
See below for all of the latest articles, guides and blog posts written by Richard Coombes.
-
Budget cases: cheap equipment case options for your business
It is obviously important to protect your business’ assets. But with costs spiralling across many areas, sourcing budget cases that still provide the required levels of…
27th March, 2022 -
Peli™ Case alternatives – 11 Pelican™ style cases to consider
Let’s be honest – Peli cases are the most well established and widely used protective hard cases currently available. They are so popular in fact that many rival waterproof options get…
13th July, 2021 -
Airline approved cases – a guide to selecting a suitable option
The Coronavirus pandemic has greatly reduced international travel. And whilst this applies to consumers heading off for a warm weather break, the numbers of business…
24th May, 2021 -
Aluminium Kit Skips – 7 important benefits for your club
Professional sport – and football in particular – is big business. Every detail, every transfer, every debatable offside decision, is analysed and discussed in great detail. But one area…
12th May, 2021 -
13 surprising advantages of aluminium cases and containers
Aluminium cases are often overlooked in favour of moulded plastic or flight-case options. But this would be a mistake in many scenarios. Aluminium cases actually boast…
23rd April, 2021 -
Toughest Flight Case? Is EXOCase™ really as good as claimed…
Flight cases are one of the most established forms of protective case available. And they haven’t really changed much over previous years. That is until EXOCase™ arrived…
17th March, 2021 -
10 compelling reasons to use EXOCase™ protective cases
Choosing a custom-built protective case can be difficult, particularly if you haven’t sourced them before. One option you may (or may not) have heard of, is EXOCase™…
7th February, 2021 -
Peli™ vs Storm Case™: Detailed review & analysis of each option
Whilst there are a wide range of waterproof cases available, when businesses or individuals are looking to protect expensive or delicate equipment it usually ends up as a…
19th February, 2020 -
Beginners guide: UN3480, UN3481 & IATA regulations
Many people simply assume it is safe to ship lithium ion batteries. But this is not the case. This guide covers the UN3480 and other regulations that govern the safe…
18th January, 2019 -
Plastazote® foam – what is it and should you be using it?
One thing you will almost certainly be aware of is the issues your business could face from consistently supplying damaged products or parts to your customer, or having equipment…
16th January, 2018 -
Transit cases – how to decide which is right for you
Choosing the right transit case for your business can be a tough but crucial decision. This is particularly true if you are handling or shipping high-value equipment, tools or…
7th November, 2017 -
Enhancing your protective cases with foam inserts
Using the correct foam inserts can be the difference between your products arriving with your customer in one piece, or being damaged enough to be unusable or…
20th October, 2017 -
7 widely overlooked benefits of product sample cases
If you are reading this, it probably means you are aware of the benefits associated with product sample cases. However, did you know there is a surprisingly wide range of…
13th October, 2017 -
Branded & printed sample cases – 9 visually striking ideas
Due to the importance of branding on your sample cases, there is, in fact, a number of different ways to achieve this. The exact method of branding to use depends on…
1st October, 2017 -
5 proven methods to improve presentation of your samples
Sales meetings are the first opportunity for the presentation of your samples and latest products. The chance to outshine your competitors. The possibility to reach your…
23rd September, 2017 -
Equipment damage: 8 causes of products breaking in transit
Unlike B2C operations, there are in fact a couple of ways that business to business suppliers and industrial companies can suffer from transit damage. Firstly – and as with…
2nd September, 2017 -
7 tips for shipping high value equipment, tools and parts
Unfortunately, the amount of different ways your products or equipment could be damaged in transit is quite high. For example, shock and impact can render a product or…
15th August, 2017 -
Stock vs custom sample cases – which is right for you?
So you’ve decided that you and your sales team can benefit from using product sample cases in your presentations and sales pitches. You can see that they will protect your…
10th August, 2017 -
Best equipment cases: choosing a waterproof protector case
Equipment cases can be the one thing preventing costs to your business potentially running into thousands of pounds. They could be the one thing protecting your extremely…
20th February, 2017 -
IP ratings explained: ingress protection and what it means for cases
If you have ever needed to source protective cases, you may have noticed that some come with an IP rating. Some are higher than others. But, more noteworthy, some claim to be…
26th October, 2016