At Pipeline Packaging, enhancing customer success is our number one objective, from expanding value-added services to optimizing processing procedures to sourcing the latest and greatest components for innovative and reliable packaging systems. In that same spirit, we recently increased our health and beauty packaging inventory with the acquisition of SKS Bottle & Packaging, Inc., a Pipeline Packaging company.
In 2025, SKS officially joined the Pipeline Packaging family, and like its parent, SKS believes in equipping customers for success through high-quality packaging solutions and innovative value-added offerings. Join us as we delve into the many ways SKS is helping us deliver top-tier products and kits in health and beauty packaging, as well as other industries.
Meet the Newest Member of the Family
In 1986, Paul and Barbara Horan launched SKS — named after their three sons, Steven, Ken, and Shaun — in their garage. Today, that same customer-focused packaging company has grown into a multi-million-dollar operation, servicing companies from small businesses to large corporations with a diverse array of personal care, nutraceutical, aromatherapy, and other packaging products. Ken Horan launched his career as a logistics and warehouse manager in the family business. More than 20 years later, he serves as the president and CEO of SKS.
“Health and beauty packaging, as well as body care, compensate for a large share of our customers’ needs,” said Horan. “Many of our products are used to store various soaps and lotions, making sprayers, pumps, cosmetic jars, and other low-profile containers among our most popular selections.”
SKS also does not require a minimum unit number to place packaging orders. This policy helps smaller players in the health, beauty, and body industry source components at a level that complements customers’ needs. But this factor isn’t the only benefit SKS delivers for customers looking for health and beauty packaging.
“Many SKS customers take advantage of our unique kit options,” said Horan. “We supply around 2,800 different kit variations, spanning from glass to plastic to metal.”
Though SKS kit offerings suit a broad spectrum of industries, Horan noted how cosmetic companies find them especially advantageous. “We can bring in pallets of pumps, sprayers, glass round bottles, and other health and beauty packaging,” said Horan. “Then, we can marry the right components together to create the appropriate kit for specific customers and their products.”
Health and Beauty Packaging Backed by Innovation
Aside from its robust individual components and kit offerings, SKS has sought other ways to provide high-quality health and beauty packaging systems through innovation.
In fact, the packaging company was among the first to implement a website. The project was accomplished using SKS’s own internal team of software developers, who regularly maintained and expanded its capabilities, including the addition of a shopping cart around the year 2000 — before e-commerce was commonplace.
“The website was an essential component in serving customers,” said Horan. “We even developed our own proprietary software, SKS Connect, to keep track of orders and available inventory.”
Today, the home-grown system maintains real-time records for more than 5,000 SKUs. The management software oversees warehouse volume, even down to the most precise details, such as where to locate and pick products for peak operational efficiency.
SKS’s commitment to cutting-edge technology has even taken its entire operation paperless. Still, that isn’t where the packaging company draws the line as a pioneer in health and beauty packaging innovations.
Like Pipeline Packaging, SKS also provides customers access to expert labeling capabilities. The packaging company utilizes a software program where customers can create custom labels directly on its website. Once complete, labels can ship within six to eight business days. The value-added service helps customers streamline another leg of their manufacturing process.
A Three-Pronged Approach to Expert Sourcing
As a consumer-driven industry, health and beauty packaging is always focused on finding the next hot product. Maintaining a thorough inventory that captures the functional needs of a product while also speaking to the latest styles takes an expert eye.
According to Horan and the SKS team, it takes a three-pronged approach to strike the right balance.
“We start with our sales team,” he said. “Sales team members review their customer inquiries and highlight their top-10 requested items. That gives us an immediate idea of what our existing customer base needs, prefers, or would like to see in our inventory.”
Part of this step also includes visits to personal care and cosmetics trade shows, where the SKS team can view upcoming health and beauty packaging trends.
“The second prong involves market research,” said Horan. “At this stage, we will go to local cosmetics stores like Ulta and Sephora to see what packaging components and features are becoming more popular. Then, we can see if that is something we should stock for our customers.”
Horan even noted how market research can involve digital components. Using social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram, SKS can stay informed on trending consumer products and their corresponding packaging systems.
During the third prong, the SKS team turns to its vendors. Building off the first prong, the packaging company asks vendors which items are the most popular among those that SKS does not currently supply. In addition, vendors are also asked if they are planning to provide any new products in the near future.
“Most recently, we used the three-pronged approach to determine if we should adjust our jar options,” said Horan. “After discussing it with sales staff, conducting market research, and gathering vendor input, we decided to start supplying new amber glass roll-on and cosmetic jars to the SKS website in 2026.”
Navigating precise inventory decisions for health and beauty packaging options is made easier through SKS’s three-pronged approach. By taking the time to speak with all relevant parties, the packaging company achieves a complete perspective for sourcing high-quality systems like the cosmetics jars.
A Match Made in Heaven
From this brief overview alone, it’s clear that SKS is a perfect addition to the Pipeline Packaging family. Not only does this packaging distributor bolster Pipeline’s robust health and beauty packaging inventory, but it also carries the same customer-first focus. In everything from a carefully curated inventory and product kits to its steps toward innovation and thorough, hands-on market research, SKS is determined to give customers every opportunity to maintain an efficient packaging process.
Like SKS, Pipeline serves as customers’ one-stop packaging shop, from finding component alternatives to providing services for packaging design, logistics, and more. Contact us today to learn how Pipeline and our family of companies can fulfill your health and beauty packaging needs.
