The European Commission has approved the acquisition by the
Australian company Amcor of the world-wide plastic packaging (PET)
and closure businesses of the German company Schmalbach-Lubeca.
Jefferson Smurfit Group, the world's leading paper-based packaging
company, has announced details of its new customer service
initiative, the Smurfit Extranet.
Alcoa, a leading manufacturer of specialty plastics food packaging,
has completed its previously announced agreement to acquire
Chicago-based Ivex Packaging Corporation.
Tideworks Technology, a leader in terminal management software
solutions, has supplied Dole Food Company with terminal management
and container handling software at the company's 11 marine terminal
locations in North, Central...
Vetropack, a leading Swiss-based manufacturer within the European
glass packaging industry, has agreed to acquire the Slovakian
glassworks Skloobal, Nemsová.
Sensitech, a leading global supplier of cold chain monitoring
systems to the food industry, has been named an "Innovator of the
Year" by SBANE (Smaller Business Association of NewEngland).
Morliny, a meat processing company based in the northeastern town
of Ostróda in Poland expects a stronger euro to boost revenue from
exports and lower demand for imported goods.
Californian-based EarthShell has confirmed that it has laid off 65
per cent of its staff and cut expenses by $2 million (€2m) a month
as it meets its goal of bringing its products to the market.
Colombian brewery Bavaria has announced major plans to invest $1
billion (€1bn) over the next few years to modernise and expand its
current production facilities.
Scientists are developing a hand-held sensor they say will help
save lives by quickly pinpointing the presence of a deadly E. coli
strain and other harmful germs in food and drinks, in some cases
within minutes.
Wellman, the US-based manufacturer of polyester products used in
packaging resins, has announced that it is taking two steps to
expand its PET resins capacity by approximately 415 million pounds
over the next eighteen months, at an...
Sidel, the French manufacturer of machinery for bottle producers,
is expected to return to profitability in 2002, after last year's
€47.5 million net loss.
ConAgra Foods, one of the leading food processors in the US, has
reported a 58.7 per cent profit increase for its fourth quarter,
beating Wall Street estimates on higher sales of major packaged
food brands.
Jefferson Smurfit's US associate company will have to pay around
€126 million on its pulp mills in order for them to comply with
tough new environmental standards expected to take effect shortly.
DS Smith reported lower profits for the year to April as a recovery
in its packaging business was more than offset by lower profits in
office products wholesaling business
Packaging group Bunzl, which supplies food packaging to the
European market, is cutting its historic links with the paper
industry, under a deal to offload its paper distribution business
to Australian firm PaperlinX, according to...
International Paper, the US-based paper packaging company, has
ended efforts to sell its Arizona Chemical and Industrial Papers
businesses as part of a restructuring.
Fresh Del Monte Produce, the US fresh fruit and vegetables group,
is taking its first step to becoming a global leader in the sector
by buying three Fisher Foods businesses from the receivers of
Albert Fisher.
Cott Corporation, the global branded soft drink supplier, has
acquired Premium Beverage Packers. Premium is Cott's largest
carbonated soft drinks co-packer in the US, with bottling
facilities located in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania.
VantagePoint Systems, a developer of business management software
for the packaging industry, has completed its previously announced
acquisition of UK-based software developer Avalon Printing
Software.
Oracle, the world's largest enterprise software company, has
provided Agro Marches Internationaux, the leading European fresh
food consultant, with software to power a continent-wide
information portal for the produce industry,...
Solvay Advanced Polymers, the US-based provider of high-performance
polymers to the food service industry, will expand the production
capacity of its polyamide-imide plant in South Carolina, during the
next nine months
A €91 million sugar-substitute plant in western Turkey represents
the biggest greenfield investment made outside the US by Cargill,
the Minnesota-based food producer. Yet the problems faced by
Cargill in Turkey since the factory started...
The Alianza Team group of companies has said that it plans to
construct a 'megafactory' in Barranquilla for the production of
oils and fats in Colombia.
Pechiney, the French metals and packaging company, is bidding for
the aluminium assets of Corus, which analysts believe are worth as
much as €1.6 billion
With food marketers constantly on the look out for more flexible
packaging to achieve eye-catching aesthetics, it seems that the
future of blow-moulded high-density polyethylene containers looks
sealed.
CSN, the Brazil-based flat steelmaker, and Canadian aluminium
manufacturer Alcan are on a head-on collision course over which
will dominate the metal packaging market, reported Brazilian
business daily Gazeta Mercantil.
Irish investors have sharply criticised Jefferson Smurfit, the
Dublin-based paperboard and packaging company, for its willingness
to accept a €3.7 billion takeover bid from Madison Dearborn
Partners, the US private equity firm.
King Oscar will be left with one brisling sardine canning plant in
Norway after the owners decided yesterday to close the King Oscar
canning plant in Fusa, western Norway.
Flexographic press manufacturer Edale is in the process of
designing and building the first of a new range of machines for
packaging and carton printing.
Anglo-Dutch consumer products giant Unilever has confirmed that it
is to invest $230 million (€239m) in its Mexico operations this
year, a proportion of which will be spent to upgrade and increase
production capacity.
French packaging and aluminium group Pechiney says it is still
interested in the acquisition of the aluminium activities of
Anglo-Dutch counterpart Corus, and that it will be particularly
careful with regard to competition law when...
Pinguin Foods of Belgium has announced that it will take over the
frozen vegetable activities of Fisher Frozen Foods, and with it an
important production and packaging department in King's Lynn in
Norfolk, the most prominent...
The British Retail Consortium will be holding a series of in depth
course on how to implement the latest food packaging standards into
the production process.
Rexam, the global consumer packaging company, has completed the
disposal, announced in April 2002, of its Image Products business
to Sun Capital, a leading US private investment firm.
