Consolidation on the menu for European plastic packaging

Consolidation in the plastic packaging industry is set to accelerate, according to new research by financial advisory firm Catalyst Corporate Finance. The highly fragmented structure of the European plastic packaging industry will create consolidation opportunities.
The report, seen exclusively by Packaging News, is entitled European plastic packaging on the road to consolidation. The new research suggests that over the past three years almost half of all global merger and acquisition deals in the plastic packaging sector took place in Europe, attracting both trade acquirers and financial investors.
While some segments of the industry, such as flexible food packaging, are dominated by a few large players the European industry as a whole remains highly fragmented, according to the study (PackagingNews, 11 April 2012).