Although the bid by its parent company to gain full control of Negri Bossi (Monzese / Italy; www.negribossi.it) was less successful than hoped – see Plasteurope.com of 25.11.2008 – the injection moulding machinery manufacturer plans to press ahead with the planned reorganisation. “Acquiring over 90% of the shares followed by a squeeze-out would have made things easier for us,” company president Augusto Machirelli told the Italian press.

Up to now, HPS, the holding for Negri Bossi’s parent company Sacmi Imola (Imola / Italy, www.sacmi.com), is believed to have acquired just over 89% of the shares. Machirelli said he is confident that the remainder will be acquired by May 2009. Regardless of the outcome of the share purchase, HPS is taking the first steps towards integrating the brands in Sacmi’s portfolio.

At the end of November, production ceased at BM Biraghi (www.bmbiraghi.it) in Monza / Italy, with all machinery and equipment being relocated to Negri Bossi's main site 5km away. Machirelli is also streamlining foreign activities, especially in Canada, the US and France. In future, Negri Bossi will work more closely with Sacmi’s plastics segment in these markets. Some assembly operations for larger machines are already carried out in Imola.