Packaging giant Groupe Guillin (Ornans / France; www.groupeguillin.fr) has told the French stock exchange that, since the end of last year, it has been in exclusive negotiations to acquire rigid plastics packaging manufacturer Sharp Interpack (Bridgwater, Somerset / UK; www.sharpinterpack.co.uk), with the transaction expected to be completed during the first quarter of 2010. Guillin says the acquisition would allow it to strengthen its market position in the UK, where it already owns three companies.

Sharp Interpack had a turnover of GBP 84m (EUR 92.4m) in the year to 31 March 2009. It is the leading UK supplier of rigid thermoformed packaging for the retail and food sector. In August last year it acquired the assets and order book of the thermoforming business of Rexam (London / UK; www.rexam.com) – see Plasteurope.com of 05.08.2009.

Founded in 1972, Group Guillin is an acquisitive company that has completed purchases every year from 2004-2008. In addition to the UK and France, it has businesses in Poland, Italy, Spain and Portugal. The company’s principal activity is thermoforming, but it also carries out injection moulding and processing of films and foils. In the UK Guillin already owns Premier Packaging (Canterbury / UK; www.nespak.com), which makes fruit and vegetable containers, GPI UK (Epping / UK; www.guillinpackaging.co.uk), which specialises in transparent packs for cakes and pastries, and Socamel UK (Chippenham), a designer and supplier of catering equipment.