Unrivaled European rigid packaging juggernaut created by adding Berlin Packaging Netherlands’s northern European plastic and glass business to Berlin Packaging’s southern European specialty glass and closure business
CHICAGO (October 28, 2019) – Berlin Packaging and Berlin Packaging Netherlands today announced they have entered into a definitive agreement for Berlin Packaging to acquire Netherlands based Berlin Packaging Netherlands B.V. This strategic transaction significantly strengthens Berlin Packaging’s European plastic offering, enhances its expertise in personal care, pharmaceutical, food, and sports nutrition verticals, and expands its northern European footprint. Berlin Packaging’s European companies are comprised of specialty glass market leader Bruni Glass, closure experts Bruni Erben, and four other companies acquired in 2019. The addition of Berlin Packaging Netherlands to Berlin Packaging’s existing European companies creates a unique packaging supplier for glass, plastic, and metal containers and closures with a full suite of income-boosting services designed to grow customers’ net income.
Largest Rigid Packaging Supplier on Two Continents
With several offices across northern Europe and approximately 160 employees, Berlin Packaging Netherlands has an impressive organic and acquisitive growth track record, including completing four acquisitions in the past two years. As a sustainability leader, Berlin Packaging Netherlands is proud to work with leading European companies to find cost-effective and environmentally friendly packaging products and solutions.
Berlin Packaging is a $2.6 billion global supplier of rigid packaging products and services to customers of all types across all sectors. Berlin Packaging Netherlands marks Berlin’s 13th overall acquisition since 2010 and fifth in 2019, adding strategic locations throughout Northern and Southern Europe. This rapid expansion broadens the company’s global reach, which includes 1,300+ employees, 130+ locations in North America, and operations in nine European countries, China, and South Africa.
Acquisition Completes European Offering
“Acquiring Berlin fully solidifies our European positioning, giving us the ability to help customers of all sizes, including multi-national corporations, across all market segments, grow their bottom lines with our packaging products and services,” said Andrew Berlin, Chairman and CEO of Berlin Packaging. “It provides tremendous cross-selling opportunities, a robust sales pipeline, and a perfect platform for continued European expansion.”
“Having a strong northern European partner provides new avenues for our specialty glass offering for the food, wine, and spirits markets,” said Paolo Recrosio, CEO of Bruni Glass, a Berlin Packaging Company. “Berlin’s expertise in plastics and other key market verticals will significantly expand our southern European operations, benefiting our customers and leading to superior business growth.”
Benefit from broader product offering, increased geographical reach, and best practices
“We have grown our business from two employees to one of Europe’s leading packaging solution providers,” said Erik Trum and Marck Jansen, the Founders and Managing Directors of Berlin Packaging Netherlands. “By joining forces with a global powerhouse like Berlin Packaging, we are drastically accelerating the business, and this will provide substantial benefits to our customers, suppliers, and employees. We are confident that our existing customers and suppliers truly will benefit from Berlin’s broader product offering, geographical reach, and the combined vast packaging knowledge and experience the combination offers.”
Synergies between dynamic companies creates a unique European offering that includes:
- Packaging innovation expertise – Berlin Packaging has world-class design studios on two continents, including Studio One Eleven, the in-house innovation consultancy, offering complete structural package and brand design, all at no charge, and the Bruni Glass Innovation Center’s custom lineup of 3,000+ premium glass SKUs. Berlin Packaging Netherlands has created thousands of bespoke packaging solutions for some of Europe’s largest companies with exclusive designer lines.
- Global quality leadership – Berlin and Berlin Packaging Netherlands are both ISO 9001 certified, demonstrating a strong quality assurance commitment. In addition to their dedicated Quality Service Division, Berlin Packaging boasts an industry-leading 184 consecutive months of 99+% on-time delivery for customers. Berlin Packaging Netherlands has achieved the BRC Global Standard for product integrity during storage and distribution and is EcoVadis Gold certified, demonstrating its commitment to sustainability.
- Cohesive management teams – Trum and Mr. Jansen will not only add significant expertise in personal care and pharmaceutical and the key substrates in those market verticals, but they will reinvest in Berlin Packaging and partner with the executive teams in Europe and the U.S. to continue to grow the business. Mr. Trum and Mr. Jansen will both continue to be active in their current roles.
All of Berlin Packaging Netherlands’s employees and locations will be retained in this process. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to be completed in the next 45 days. Financial details were not disclosed.
Berlin Packaging was advised by De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek and Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison (legal). Berlin Packaging Netherlands was advised by Nielen Schuman (financial) and Allen & Overy (legal).
About Berlin Packaging
Berlin Packaging is the only Hybrid Packaging Supplier® of glass, plastic, and metal containers and closures. The company supplies billions of items annually along with package design, financing, consulting, warehousing, and logistics services for customers across all industries. Berlin Packaging brings together the best of manufacturing, distribution, and income-adding service providers. Its mission is to increase the net income of its customers through packaging products and services.
See BerlinPackaging.com for more information.
About Bruni Glass, a Berlin Packaging Company
Bruni Glass, the largest packaging distributor in Europe, has 40+ years’ experience supplying premium and specialty glass packaging to the wine, spirits, food, and gourmet markets. Headquartered in Italy and with locations across Europe, Bruni offers thousands of custom-designed products along with popular standard items. The company has a world-class design studio, a network of high-quality manufacturing partners, a team dedicated to thrilling service, and is certified by CISQ-IMQ (Italian Institute for the Quality Mark) to ISO 9001 standards.
See BruniGlass.com for more information.
About Berlin Packaging Netherlands
The internationally operating Berlin Packaging Netherlands B.V. has been active since 1978 as a provider of primary packaging and packaging solutions for a variety of markets such as pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, food and domestic non-food industries. From the head office in Wijchen, the Netherlands, Berlin’s staff is fully focused on the needs of customers, offering advice, innovative solutions, and excellent service. With a sound knowledge of sustainability issues, reliable logistics, and a broad network in Europe and Asia, the company has grown to approximately 160 employees throughout northern Europe.