“Our position in the industry is strong,” Chris Hart, managing director of Paccor Foodservice Europe told FoodProductionDaily.com. “However, we are looking at where the business will be in five years’ time. Injection moulding was not a core business.”
The deal consists purely of Paccor Netherlands’ injection moulding order book, so does not include physical assets, Hart told this site.
It enabled him to drive forward investment and development in its Netherlands factories, he said.
‘Investing in new machinery’
“We have two plants in the Netherlands and we are investing in thermoforming machines. Our plans are to renew machinery in our Nijkerk plant, and at Standdaarbuiten we are investing in new machinery and automation.
Hart said Paccor Foodservice Europe now aimed to pursue market trends towards lightweight, eco-friendly packaging and more energy efficient machinery.
“This industry is a price-driven market. Oil is increasing in price and raw materials are increasing in price. 70% of costs lie in raw materials. These are all reasons why people are looking for lightweight packs …
‘Alternative materials’
“We will be looking at new technology and alternative materials to reduce [pack] thickness and cost price.”
Paccor makes a wide variety of foodservice items and containers for customers ranging from restaurants and beverage vendors to caterers and vending machine operators. It has 19 factories in 13 European countries and supplies packaging for the consumer goods and foodservice sectors.
Proplast owns Nutripack, which makes trays for foodservice customers, and has three factories in France, Spain and the Netherlands, and Mecapack, which manufactures and sells packaging equipment, including tray sealing and thermoforming machines.