With the acquisition, for an undisclosed sum, of the "Propafilm" OPP portfolio of ICIplc (9 Milbank, GB-London SW1P 3JF) and ICI Australia (ICIA), the UK's UCB Films plc (Wigton, Cumbria CA7 9BG) has increased its global PP film business by 50%. The company now claims to be "world's leading producer of speciality OPP and cellulose films" with a total capacity of 140,000 t/y and sales of GBP 300m. The acquisition takes in production plants at Dumfries/ UK, Ghent/ Belgium and Melbourne/Australia, which have output of more than 80,000 t annually, centred on high-performance coated films and speciality films in the overwrap, labels and security markets. UCB Films already claims to be world leader in cellulose film following the 1996 takeover of British Cellophane (Bridgewater/UK) and the acquisiton of the cellulose film plant of Flexel Inc. at Tecumseh, Kansas/USA) in 1997.

This most recent buy adds a "new dimension" to UCB's business and provides further opportunities to "utilise our extensive coating expertise and unique bubble technolgy," said Bill Lowther, director general of the UCB films sector. Both UCB Films and ICI Propafilm operate "bubble" production lines for OPP and specialise in coated films. While UCB's strengths are in films for labelling products – it also produces polymer substrate for bank notes – ICI Propafilm is a leading producer of speciality overwrap films. According to reports, the "Propafilm" takeover will give UCB Films, part of the Brussels-based UCB group, annual sales of at least BEF 17 bn. Following sell-offs, turnover shrank to BEF 6 bn in 1995, but rose 22% to BEF 12 bn in 1997.