In a transaction whose financial details were not disclosed, an affiliate of Sun European Partners, the European advisor of US investment firm Sun Capital Partners (Boca Raton, Florida; www.suncappart.com), acquired UK flexible plastic packaging specialist Britton Flexibles (Winsford, Cheshire; www.brittongroup.com). Seller was the direct principal investment division of HSBC, which had acquired Britton in 2008.

The Britton Group operates three polyethylene film plants in the UK, with a total capacity of 90,000 t/y. The first, located in Winsford, extrudes and converts PE. In addition, the group’s facility in Louth, Lincolnshire engages in the extrusion, lamination, printing and conversion of low and high density PE films, while its Hartlepool plant prints and converts PE film. Key end products include cereal liner film, printed shrink wrap film and banking coin bags.

Commenting on the acquisition, Britton CEO Mike Clark said: “We hope to realise significant synergies with other affiliates of Sun European Partners in the sector to build a very strong pan-European flexibles business.” At the beginning of this year, the US investment giant had completed its acquisition of Huhtamaki’s (Espoo / Finland; www.huhtamaki.com) rigid consumer plastic goods business – see Plasteurope.com of 05.01.2011.