Case study · 01

Releasing Trapped Cash in a Regional Packaging Manufacturer

Working capital advisory cut a packaging manufacturer's cash cycle from 120+ days to the low seventies, funding expansion without new debt.

Sector: Packaging manufacturing
Engagement: Working capital advisory

Low seventiesCash conversion cycle after two quartersFrom 120+ days

Equivalent to expansion budgetFunding released without new debt

Permanent routineWeekly cash discipline institutionalized

01 The Problem

The operating constraint behind the numbers

A family owned packaging group had grown revenue four times over in a decade while its cash conversion cycle stretched beyond 120 days. Growth was being funded through expensive short term borrowing, and a planned capacity expansion had stalled because the business could not fund it internally despite healthy profits on paper.

02 The Evidence

The evidence leadership could act on

Cash Conversion Cycle Reduction

Before engagement

120+ days

Low seventies (days)

After two quarters

Source: its cash conversion cycle stretched beyond 120 days ... The cash conversion cycle fell to the low seventies within two quarters

Funding Impact of the Engagement

Internal funding released

Equivalent to expansion budget

New debt required

None

Source: releasing funding equivalent to the expansion budget without new debt

03 The Kingswell Response

What changed in the management system

Rebuild inventory policies

Inventory policies were rebuilt on demand analytics rather than historical habit.

Install a weekly collections rhythm

Receivables were managed through a weekly collections rhythm supported by an automated ageing dashboard and reminder workflows.

Renegotiate supplier terms

Supplier terms were renegotiated to market standards.

Install a cash command view

A simple cash command view gave leadership daily visibility for the first time.

04 What Remained

The management system installed

automated ageing dashboard

reminder workflows

cash command view

weekly collections rhythm

05 The Result

What the organisation could do next

The engagement combined working capital advisory with practical tooling. Inventory policies were rebuilt on demand analytics rather than historical habit, receivables were managed through a weekly collections rhythm supported by an automated ageing dashboard and reminder workflows, and supplier terms were renegotiated to market standards. A simple cash command view gave leadership daily visibility for the first time. The cash conversion cycle fell to the low seventies within two quarters, releasing funding equivalent to the expansion budget without new debt, and the weekly cash discipline became a permanent management routine.