Amcor purchases flexible packager Alusa

Australian global packaging provider Amcor will double the size of its newly created flexible packaging business in the Americas by acquiring Alusa, said to be the largest flexible packaging business in South America, for US$435 million from owners Techpack SA and Nexus Private Equity.

The acquisition comes three months after Amcor announced plans to buy California-based flexible packaging company Deluxe Packaging for US$45 million and 10 months after Amcor created a new Americas flexible packaging unit.

Alusa makes flexible packaging for the food, personal care and pet food markets and has four plants and a broad range of capabilities including film extrusion, flexographic and gravure printing, and lamination. “It is the largest flexible packaging manufacturer and supplier in Chile and Peru, and a leading participant in Colombia and Argentina, with one plant in each of these four countries,” Amcor said in a statement.

Amcor currently has one small plant in Brazil.

“Alusa comes with a strong management team and provides a unique platform in an important growth region,” the statement continued. “A large number of Amcor’s multinational customers operate in South America, and this acquisition significantly improves our ability to support their needs and to grow with them in these markets. Along with our leadership positions in Europe and Asia, Amcor’s customer value proposition will substantially improve with a strong presence in South America.”