GREIF Business Summary

Greif, Inc. (GEF) is a global leader in industrial packaging products and services, generating revenue through the manufacturing and sale of rigid containers, intermediate bulk containers (IBCs), and flexible packaging. Following a major strategic reorganization in late 2024 and significant divestitures in 2025—including the sale of its containerboard and timberland assets—the company now operates through four primary segments: Durable Metal Solutions, Customized Polymer Solutions, Sustainable Fiber Solutions, and Innovative Closure Solutions. Greif’s business model emphasizes a "Build to Last" strategy, focusing on high-margin specialty products and a circular economy approach through container reconditioning and lifecycle management. Its primary competitors include Berry Global, Sonoco Products Company, Silgan Holdings, and Mauser Packaging Solutions. Greif maintains a dominant global market share in industrial drums and is increasingly positioned as a high-value, sustainable solutions provider rather than a commodity packaging firm. Founded in 1877 by the Greif brothers in Cleveland, Ohio, the company is led by President and CEO Ole Rosgaard, who has overseen the firm’s recent structural transformation and digital integration since taking the helm in 2022. The executive team includes EVP and CFO Larry Hilsheimer, a veteran financial leader with previous experience at Scotts Miracle-Gro and Nationwide, and COO Kimberly Kellermann, who manages global operations and supply chain logistics. The company’s governance is anchored by Executive Chairman Peter G. Watson and a board that includes notable directors like Jillian Evanko. Greif’s unique dual-class share structure ensures continued influence from the founding family, while major institutional backing from firms like The Vanguard Group and BlackRock reflects its status as a stable, dividend-paying industrial staple with a disciplined focus on capital allocation and debt reduction.