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Graphic Packaging partners with International Paper to form $6bn company
25 OCT 2017
Consumer Packaging business to create a new $6bn paper-based packaging company.
Under the terms of the agreement, Graphic Packaging will operate the partnership with a 79.5% interest, while the remaining 20.5% stake will be with IP valuing nearly $1.14bn.
The partnership will also assume a $660m debt of IP.
Graphic Packaging president and CEO Michael Doss said: “We expect the transaction will significantly increase our mill production and converting scale, and meaningfully increase our exposure to the growing foodservice market, provide significant runway to realise synergies, and drive strong financial results.”
IP will have a two-year lock-up on the monetisation of their partnership interest and cannot buy Graphic Packaging shares for a period of five years, subject to some exceptions.
Nosco acquires US printing firm Gooding Company
24 oct 2017
US printed packaging company Nosco has acquired New York-based insert and outsert manufacturer Gooding Company.
The acquisition is in line with the company’s strategy to focus on growth in the healthcare segment and strengthen its presence in the East Coast with another manufacturing facility.
The addition of the new facility is expected to reduce lead time and packaging costs, as well as enable Nosco to deliver an expanded range of folded solutions.
Established in 1876, Gooding was sold to current owner and president Jerry Hace, following which, it started to focus on manufacturing enclosures for multiple industry segments primarily to the medical and pharmaceutical industries.
Nosco president Russ Haraf said: “Over the years, Jerry Hace built a great team at Gooding that behaves very consistently with the employee-owned culture at Nosco.
Vetter to expand secondary packaging services in Germany
23 OCT 2017
German firm Vetter has decided to expand its secondary packaging capacities to fulfil the growing customer requirements and market demands for complex packaging solutions.
The expansion has already commenced and will result in an increase of nearly 32,000ft² of new packaging capacity within the second floor of Vetter’s existing secondary packaging (VSP) facility.
Vetter production and engineering senior vice-president Bernd Stauss said: “Often we hear from customers that a high level of expertise in the assembly and packaging of pens, auto-injectors and safety devices is critical for their success.
“Vetter has this experience and can offer a one-stop solution, from development to filling to secondary packaging, including serialisation of products; a service that is greatly appreciated by our customers.”
After the completion of the project, which is expected to be done over the next several years, the facility will feature new fully automated packaging lines, areas for manual and semi-automated packaging processes, as well as assembly equipment for multiple formats.
The Vetter serialisation and aggregation service will also be expanded under this project to fulfil future requirements of regulatory authorities.
DS Smith signs deal to acquire EcoPack and EcoPaper for €208m
20 oct 2017
UK-based packaging business DS Smith has signed an agreement to acquire Romania’s integrated packaging and paper group EcoPack and EcoPaper for an enterprise value of nearly €208m.
EcoPack and EcoPaper primarily cater to the local FMCG. This year, it has also developed a new machine that produces lightweight paper to support performance packaging solution processes.
The acquisition is expected to strengthen DS Smith’s capacity to serve its customers in the country, as well as expand its presence in Eastern Europe.
DS Smith Group chief executive Miles Roberts said: “We continue to grow very strongly throughout Eastern Europe.
“This exciting acquisition will further expand our position and capability, providing an important platform for the continued development of our innovative ‘performance packaging’ programme in the region.”
DS Smith expects that the addition of this group to its portfolio will expand its customer and asset base while creating significant cost synergies.
United Caps to acquire plastic closures division of Closures4you
18 OCT 2017
Plastic caps and closures manufacturer United Caps is set to acquire the plastic closures division of Closures4you.
The acquisition will include the 28mm caps for reusable glass bottles and disposable PET bottles.
United Caps CEO Benoît Henckes said: “With this strategic step, United Caps is driving forward the modernisation of its product portfolio.
“In accordance with the principle of ‘less is more’, we are working to restrict product complexity within our portfolio as much as possible while still offering first class closures for all PET and glass bottles.”
The takeover is expected to support the company’s comprehensive growth strategy, as well as ensure future market supply from its Schwerin facility.
Closures4you will continue to manufacture its products until March next year to ensure a smooth transition of customers to the United Caps without disrupting supply.
Closures4you’s parent company Cups4you is headquartered in Oss, the Netherlands.
NEMA ENFORCES COMPLETE BAN OF PLASTIC BAGS IN KENYA
17 oct 2017
Kenyan government agency National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has enforced a complete ban on the manufacture, sale, distribution and usage of plastic bags in the country following a six-week grace period.
The country banned the use of plastic bags with a gazetted notification on 27 February.
It provided a six-month window to 28 August to allow the manufacturers to clear the stock and adapt with new packaging recyclable bags, which was again followed by a six-week grace period.
The ban encompasses all non-recyclable plastic bags with handles, with or without gussets, in addition to flat bags with or without handles and gussets, reported the-star.co.ke.
Speaking at a press conference, NEMA director general Geoffrey Wahungu stated the agency will now implement the ban to ensure flat plastic carrier bags are no longer supplied.
He also noted that 22 people were arrested in the grace period, including 12 from Mombasa and ten in Bomet, reported kbc.co.ke.
New Zealand ministry finds no safety risks with food packaging materials
13 OCT 2017
New Zealand’s Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has revealed new data that shows common food packaging materials such as plastic and paper pose no threat to food safety.
The study included 74 different packaged and takeaway foods, analysing the transfer of chemicals from various food packaging types onto foods and the associated risks towards public health.
MPI Food Risk Assessment acting manager Dr Andrew Pearson said: “We then looked at the data and carried out a thorough risk assessment.
“As a result, we have found that while there were occasional cases where chemicals from food packaging materials transferred onto food, this occurred at low levels and there are no food safety risks for consumers.
“Consumers are increasingly wanting to know more about what’s in their food, so studies like this help provide consumers with assurance that what they’re eating is safe.”
He also stated that as a regulator of food safety, the ministry will continue to monitor all possible risks that may arise from food packaging and test for potential hazards in food.
MPI’s initiative is a part of the wider programme undertaken by the Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) agency to assess health and safety concerns regarding the use of chemicals in food packaging and the effectiveness of current regulations
Comexi strengthens presence in Africa
13 oct 2017
Spain-based Comexi has installed a new Comexi F2 MB press at Zimbabwean food packaging company Natpak’s facilities that will enhance packaging productivity.
The deal is expected to strengthen Comexi’s presence in the African continent.
Since it was formed in 1954, Comexi maintained a substantial presence in the northern part of the African continent.
Comexi CEO Jeroen van der Meer said: “Comexi, as innovative and leading provider of engineering solutions for the global flexible packaging market has achieved a significant growth over the last three years, mainly due to the success of flexo, gravure and offset printing technologies and the market growth in North America, Middle East, Africa and Asia.”
In the recent years, the company focused on the sales of different flexographic presses such as Comexi F2 MB and Comexi F2 MC, gravure presses, laminators such as Comexi SL2 and S2 DS and S2 DT slitters in the continent.
Comexi Africa area manager Miquel Gironès said: “Since 2015, we are strengthening our position in the African market, which has a tremendous potential. Our vision is to become Africa’s preferred supplier.”