The Australian packaging group Amcor (Europe: Brighouse Court, Barnwood, GB-Gloucester, GL4 3RT; www.amcor.com) is intending to merge its European business for flexible packaging with Danisco Flexible (HQ: DK-8700 Horsens; www.daniscoflexible.com) and the corresponding activities of Akerlund & Rausing (SE-20125 Malmö; www.akerlund-rausing.com) in a joint venture under the name Amcor Flexible Europe A/S. Amcor will initially hold 67 %, Danisco 25 % and Akerlund 8 % of what will be the leading European player in flexible packaging with sales of around EUR 1.1 bn and 40 production plants in 14 countries. Amcor has an option to take over the new company completely within two to four years. Danisco will receive a cash payment now of EUR 242m from Amcor which, depending on profitability, will be followed by a further EUR 100m at a later date.

Amcor is the leading Australian packaging company with total sales of over AUD 6 bn (about EUR 3.3 bn). With its subsidiary Twinpak, the global concern is among the leading PET bottle manufacturers in North America. Its European Flexible Packaging business group came about essentially through the acquisition of the relevant activities of the Japanese UCB Group in 1996. This includes, among other things, the PE films manufacturer Transpac (B-9000 Gent) and Helio Folien (D-41747 Viersen). Akerlund & Rausing, the packaging arm of the Finnish pulp company A. Ahlstrom Oy, operates, among other things, facilities for PE and BOPP film in Finland, Poland and Russia. Danisco Flexible, too, has facilities for PE film extrusion, for example in the British town of Ilkeston and two plants in its home country of Denmark. All three groups are very much involved in film printing, particularly flexographic printing.