RPC, which makes rigid plastic packaging for the food, dairy and beverage market among others, is set to acquire British Polythene Industries (BPI) for £261m ($379m), in August, subject to regulatory clearance.
The drinks industry needs to strive for greater supplier collaboration, says supply chain consultancy firm Crimson & Co, as product portfolios become increasingly varied and complicated.
While many US firms were struggling to get hold of sucralose from China early last year, the opposite is now true, with buyers reporting a glut of product on the market and a sharp reduction in prices.
Diageo will spend around £100m refocusing its global supply and procurement operations to reflect acquisitions in key emerging markets, but says the streamlining operation will probably mean job losses.
Some rival big brands seeking ‘price breaks’ don’t participate in Ocean Spray’s online auctions for cranberry concentrate, but converts appreciate an ‘efficient, transparent and trustworthy’ process.
Packaging giant Rexam says it is excited by demand for whisky-based ready-to-drink (RTD) products in India, and has also seen double-digit growth for other spirits in the region.
BOPET film prices continue to fall on increased supply and weaker demand from one major market, said industry researchers PCI Films, as it forecast that tariffs may not yet have bottomed out.
Owens Illinois (O-I) has been forced to suspend operations in New Zealand, after a crack was found in a major gas pipeline that led to its shutdown and hit thousands of businesses.
Crown has resolved a strike at a plant in Seville but the disruption caused has had a negative impact on the profitability of its European drinks can business.
Ajinomoto Europe has announced a 15 per cent price increase for aspartame produced at its plant in Gravelines, France, just weeks after the US business made a similar announcement.
Colloides Naturels International targets natural market demand with a combination of a wheat fibre and an acacia gum fibre that provides non-soluble and soluble fibre for a wide variety of food applications.
Citric acid leader Jungbunzlauer has jumped on the price hike
bandwagon, announcing last week that it is to up the stake on
citric acid, GdL and xantham gum in all markets where it operates
Recent technical developments in resin formulation and the design
of pre-forms has allowed the beverage industry to use clarified PP
in the same way as PET.