Mergers & Acquisitions

ESPOO, Finland, Aug. 29, 2014 (Press Release) -Huhtamaki has acquired Interpac Packaging Limited based in Auckland, New Zealand. Interpac manufactures folded carton packaging for the fast-moving consumer goods and retail products as well as the foodservice market in New Zealand. It also manufactures corrugated protective packaging for the local wine industry. The company employs 85 people. With the acquisition Huhtamaki continues to implement its strategy of quality growth and to expand its product offering.

All shares of the privately owned Interpac Packaging Limited were acquired for a purchase price of approximately EUR 7 million. The annual net sales of the acquired business are approximately EUR 11 million. The acquired unit will become part of Huhtamaki's Foodservice Europe-Asia-Oceania business segment.

Huhtamaki Group is a leading manufacturer of consumer and specialty packaging with 2013 net sales totaling EUR 2.3 billion. Foodservice and consumer goods markets are served by approximately 14,700 people in 61 manufacturing units and several sales offices in 30 countries. The parent company, Huhtamäki Oyj, has its head office in Espoo, Finland and its share is quoted on NASDAQ OMX Helsinki Ltd.

HARTSVILLE, SC, Aug. 25, 2014 (Globe Newswire) -

Sonoco, one of the largest diversified global packaging companies, today announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Weidenhammer Packaging Group, Europe's leading provider of composite cans along with composite drums and rigid plastic containers, for €286 million, or approximately $383 million, in cash. The final consideration is subject to a normal adjustment of net working capital.

Weidenhammer Packaging, headquartered in Hockenheim, Germany, has approximately 1,100 employees and operates 13 production facilities, including five in Germany, along with individual plants in Belgium, France, Greece, The Netherlands, United Kingdom, United States, Chile and Russia. In addition to producing composite cans, drums and luxury tubes, Weidenhammer produces unique rigid plastic containers using state-of-the-art thin-walled injection molding technology with modern in-mold labeling. Markets served by the company include processed foods, powdered beverages, tobacco, confectionery, personal care, pet food, pharmaceuticals and home and garden products.

According to M. Jack Sanders, Sonoco president and chief executive officer, the acquisition of family-owned Weidenhammer Packaging Group will create a global leader in rigid paper packaging and is expected to increase Sonoco's global consumer-related packaging and services business to approximately $2.8 billion in annual sales or approximately 53 percent of the Company's combined revenue of approximately $5.3 billion. In addition, the combination is expected to increase Sonoco's net sales in Europe to approximately 21 percent of total sales.

Weidenhammer Packaging's projected 2014 sales are expected to be approximately €244 million, or $327 million, with projected EBITDA expected to be approximately €42 million, or $56 million (1). The transaction is expected to have no material impact to Sonoco's 2014 base earnings and should be accretive to Sonoco's 2015 base earnings in the range of $.09 to $.14 per share, including estimated adjustment for purchase accounting and first year synergies. Future accretion is expected through material internalization and other cost synergies.

Commenting on the acquisition, Sanders said, "Combining Weidenhammer's state-of-the-art production and technological capability places Sonoco in a leading position to provide its global consumer product customers with unparalleled packaging expertise throughout North America and Europe, and creates a strong presence in the emerging markets of Southeast Asia, China, Eastern Europe and South America."

According to Ralf Weidenhammer, "Sonoco and Weidenhammer bring 175 years of combined consumer packaging innovation and expertise to our combined customers. After almost 60 years of successful business operations, we are convinced that the merger with Sonoco will open up new opportunities for our business, our customers and partners, as well as to our employees."

Sonoco intends to fund the acquisition through a combination of existing cash and debt with an estimated combined net credit leverage ratio of 1.75 times at closing. In 2015, the Company intends to use free cash flow for debt repayment. (Free cash flow is defined as cash flow from operations minus net capital expenditures and cash dividends). The acquisition is subject to governmental regulatory review and is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2014.

Macquarie Capital served as a financial advisor to Sonoco. Weidenhammer was represented by Deloitte Corporate Finance Advisory.

DS Smith announces the acquisition of the remaining 50% of Italian recycling company Italmaceri Srl ("Italmaceri"). DS Smith acquired its existing 50% of Italmaceri as part of the acquisition of SCA Packaging in 2012.

Italmaceri is the second largest recycling company in Italy, handling in excess of 500,000 tonnes of recovered fibre per annum. It has its headquarters in Torino, with operations in Ancona, Casarile and Novara.

Miles Roberts, chief executive of DS Smith said: "The purchase of Italmaceri is consistent with DS Smith's strategy to lead the way in recycling. It builds on our market leading position in Europe and will allow us to grow our closed loop recycling model in Italy, where we already have packaging and paper operations. We want to provide our customers not only with excellent packaging, and a world class recycling service, but solutions to all elements of their Supply Cycle."

The Italian recovered fibre market is the fourth largest in Europe, but has a recycling rate of 63.3%, lower than the European average of 71.7%. This offers potential for DS Smith to target and grow volumes through the commercial / industrial (including retail, wholesale and manufacturing) and municipal markets. The company will be building on existing market and geographic presence to roll out to a wider base.

Peter McGuinness, chief executive of DS Smith, Recycling Division, said: "This is another exciting chapter within our European growth strategy. The recovered fibre from Italmaceri will secure a fibre supply stream for our recycling network, including the DS Smith paper mill at Lucca. We have taken the opportunity to invest further in an innovative business that will help deliver our vision; the power of less, which helps our customers achieve more, with minimal impact to the environment; while realising maximum efficiency and cost gains."

As the largest fibre recycler in Europe DS Smith recovers circa 5.4 million tonnes of paper and packaging annually for recycling. Recovered packaging (and other fibre grades) provide the raw materials used in production by the group's paper making operations.