Snack packer changes hands
Keebler, has been sold to a company called Total Logistic Control
(TLC), itself a unit of the C2 group, for an undisclosed sum.
Athens' 225,000 square foot facility is located in Statham, Georgia, and was built in 2001. It is a full-service operation providing packaging design, packaging operations, logistics and warehousing services, along with technical and engineering support, across the entire Keebler product portfolio.
The unit, acquired by breakfast cereal maker Kellogg as part of its takeover of Keebler in 2001, can carry out a range of functions, including shrink wrapping, horizontal flow wrapping, cartoning, point of purchase displays, club store packs, variety packs, bag-in-box, lunch kits labelling and speciality projects.
William T. Donovan, C2 president and CEO, said that the acquisition would expand TLC's end-to-end supply chain management services and increase its presence in the south eastern United States. "This facility and its capabilities in secondary packaging will provide TLC with a new platform for growth, not only serving Kellogg's continuing needs, but also in attracting new customers to a first-class packaging and logistics service operation."
He was bullish about the prospects of attracting new business. "TLC recently hosted a packaging conference to explore strategic opportunities in providing fully integrated logistics and packaging services. The strategic opportunities were well received by major US food and beverage producers and this acquisition will give us the ability to execute this strategy."
As for Kellogg's reason for selling the unit, snack division senior vice president Tim Goaley said that the move would allow the company to focus its resources more sharply on its core manufacturing operations. "We are pleased that as a part of this agreement, many of our products will continue to be re-packed under TLC's management," he said.
TLC provides integrated logistic services for the food and drink industry in the US, including refrigerated and dry warehousing, transportation, supply chain management, food distribution, bottling and packaging.
Kellogg's snack food brands include Cheez-It, Zesta, Wheatables, Toasteds, Town House and Munch'ems.
