PETpla.net Insider 06 / 2021

PET news 6 NEWS PETplanet Insider Vol. 22 No. 06/21 www.petpla.net Bericap has acquired aluminium closure expert Mala Bericap, one of the leading global manufacturers of plastic closures, has taken over Mala Verschluss-Systeme GmbH, thereby extending its product portfolio to include aluminium closures. Mala is a family-owned company based in Bad Liebenstein, Germany. In 2020 it generated annual revenue of 40 million Euros from the production and sale of aluminium screw cap closures for spirits, wine, non-alcoholic beverages and edible oil. Bericap and Mala’s business models and product program are stated to complement each other perfectly. Whereas Bericap focuses on the production and sale of plastic closures for the food, bev- erage and chemical industries, Mala specialises in aluminium roll on pilfer proof (ROPP) and long cap closures for the wine and spirits market. Mala intends to gain access to new markets and Bericap’s product portfolio will be extended to include aluminium closures. The acquisition will allow Bericap to continue on its growth trajectory and, with Mala on board, it has the opportunity to open up new market segments and to develop innovative closure technologies combining plastic and aluminium. Completion of the product range Mala has over 200 employees at its sites in Bad Liebenstein and Schmal- kalden-Wernshausen and markets its closures globally. “The extension of our product range to include Mala’s aluminium roll-on caps enables us to tailor our solutions even more precisely to the needs and requirements of our customers. The acquisition has allowed us to complete our already comprehensive range of closures for PET and glass bottles.” said Christian Krautkrämer, Managing Director at Bericap. Now Bericap is able to offer alternatives in aluminium, in addition to the established range of plastic closures, for edible oil, vinegar and mineral water. Spirits manufacturers will also appreciate Bericap’s new single- source supplier setup covering all their needs, from simple ROPP aluminium closures to multi-stage highly safety closures. Production of aluminium closures for wine can also be ramped up thanks to the global Bericap production network. “Mala’s design capabilities and specialised production equipment for alu- minium closure finishing and decoration are impressive. The company offers exceptional flexibility in customer projects with its own in-house pad printing, side offset printing and hot foil embossing technology. Together we can leverage our full potential and grow our business footprint in expanding markets,” added Christian Krautkrämer. www.bericap.com Indorama Ventures completes acquisition of CarbonLite’s Texas PET recycling facility Indorama Ventures (IVL), a global chemicals producer, has completed its acquisition of CarbonLite Holdings’ facility in Texas as part of the company’s commitment to increasing PET recycling capacity. Now known as Indorama Ventures Sustainable Recycling (IVSR), the Dallas site is one of the largest producers of food-grade recycled pellets (rPET) in the U.S., with a combined capacity of 92,000 t/a. The facility will recycle more than 3 billion PET plastic bever- age bottles per year and support more than 130 jobs directly. IVL is the world’s largest producer of recycled PET for beverage bottles. With this acquisition, IVL expands its U.S. recycling capacity to 10 billion beverage bottles a year, towards its global target of recycling 50 billion bottles (750,000 metric tons) annually by 2025. Thailand-based Indorama Ventures entered the U.S. PET market in 2003. In 2019, the company acquired recycling facilities in Alabama and California, bringing a circular business model to its U.S. operations. The new acquisi- tion in Texas allows IVL to better serve customers’ increasing need for recycled PET for beverages. America’s leading beverage companies have launched the ‘Every Bottle Back’ project to support the circular plastics economy by reinforcing the value of their fully recyclable PET bottles among consumers. www.indoramaventures.com