Finnish food group Huhtamaki (Eteläranta 8, FIN-00130 Helsinki) acquired the European foam packaging business of privately owned US chemical group on 1 June. The activities, which are based at Skelmersdale, UK, and Guegon, France, and described as profitable, had combined sales in 1997 of GBP 27m with fresh food trays, hinged-lid boxes and – in France – egg cartons. Combining the Huntsman businesses with those of Huhtamaki's Polarcup division will create a "clear number two" in the European foam packaging market, said the Finnish group's ceo Timo Petola.

Huntsman is one of Europe's largest manufacturers of expandable polystyrene packaging for the food and catering industries. Polarcup manufactures similar lines in Sweden, Poland, France, Spain and Portugal. Through Polarcup's extensive marketing network the foam packaging business can be developed on a pan-European scale, said Petola. The acquisition will also enhance the role of the UK as Polarcup's largest European market and operations base, where Polarcup claims to be "the leading packaging supplier to several segments of the UK food and catering industries "