Rexam (London / UK; www.rexam.com) plans to sell its refillable PET operation, Rexam Petainer, and focus on developing its portfolio in high-barrier plastic containers for food packaging. The Petainer business based in Sweden and the Czech Republic had 2005 sales of GBP 34m (EUR 51m) and claims a market share of over 50% in the US. European business in this segment is being built up from the company´s Deeside site in Wales.

The packaging specialist pointed out that the refillables business is difficult, as viable collection and recycling systems are limited mainly to Scandinavia and Germany. Parallel to its announcement of plans to sell the Petainer business, Rexam said it has completed the divestment of its food plastics businesses in Yate / UK, Lidkoping / Sweden and Stilling / Denmark, with proceeds of GBP 25m, including assumed debt.