As part of its “buy and build” strategy, Mauser Group (Brühl / Germany; www.mausergroup.com) has announced the acquisition of US plastic drums and IBC manufacturer Varicon Solutions (Greenville, South Carolina / USA; www.variconsolutions.com). Financial details of the deal were not disclosed. While Mauser will take over Varicon’s plastic packaging activities, including HDPE tight head and open head drums, its National Container Group (NCG) subsidiary will assume Varicon’s post consumer resin reconditioning activities. As part of the purchase, Varicon’s production volumes from its sites in Greenville, South Carolina and Cleveland, Ohio, will be transferred to existing Mauser and NCG facilities.

In addition, the German group in early February announced that its board had appointed Hans-Peter Schäfer as new CEO, who most recently served as Mauser’s SBU manager Asia and was in charge of the group’s global reconditioning activities. He succeeds Clemens Willée.