Rigid plastic packaging supplier RPC (Rushden / UK; www.rpc-group.com) has acquired injection moulder Helioplast (Gracanica / Bosnia and Herzegovina; www.helioplast.ba/en) for about GBP 8.4m (EUR 10.1m). Helioplast produces injection-moulded rigid plastic packaging for consumer food segments at its facility in Gracanica. With about 80 employees, it generates annual sales of nearly EUR 8.5m and registered 2012 EBITDA of EUR 1.7m.

RPC said the business is a good strategic fit with its Superfos injection-moulded plastic packaging business and will extend Superfos’ reach into the Balkan region. Helioplast supplies customers in Bosnia and neighbouring Croatia and has recently developed additional export markets in the Balkans as well as the wider southeast Europe region.

Pim Vervaat, CEO of RPC, said: “Helioplast occupies a leading position in its home markets and is a strong complementary fit with the Superfos cluster. The Helioplast team has an exciting opportunity to further grow its business across a number of key export markets.” Suad Helic, Helioplast’s MD and one of the selling shareholders, will continue to lead the Helioplast business.

The acquisition represents an EBITDA multiple of six times 2012 EBITDA, and is expected to be earnings enhancing in the next financial year ending 31 March 2015, RPC said.