Impress buys Amcor business to expand in Australasia

Metal packaging manufacturer Impress is continuing its global expansion by acquiring Amcor's food can and aerosol business in Australia and New Zealand.

The company expects the purchase of seven plants, which already serve some of Impress' global clients, such as Heinz and Nestlé, to be completed by the end of the year. The business has 600 staff and an annual turnover of £100m (€150m).

Impress chief executive Francis Labbé said it was "another major step" in extending the company's global coverage while maintaining its focus on core markets.

"We believe this is an excellent platform for creating value through the deployment of Impress' skills, particularly in operations excellence and innovation," he said.

There has been a technical assistance agreement between Impress and Amcor in Australia and New Zealand since 2002.

Netherlands-based Impress produces metal packaging and aerosols for a range of markets and had annual sales of £1.08bn (€1.6bn) in 2006.
Source: packagingnews