Pechiney's CEBAL acquires Brazilian tube maker

Pechiney (Paris) subsidiary CEBAL, a worldwide leader in collapsible tubes (plastic, laminate and aluminum), has acquired the Brazilian company METALPACK, located in Mogi Das Cruzes, near Sao Paulo.

METALPACK achieves annual sales of R$ 46 million (US$24.3 million), chiefly through laminate tubes, which make up 80% of its turnover. The company boasts a state-of-the-art ISO 9002-certified laminate tube plant. METALPACK also owns a workshop for the manufacture of aluminum tubes and slugs.

This acquisition gives CEBAL a base in the Brazilian market, enabling the company to become a top supplier for laminate tubes, the basic packaging for toothpaste. Brazil is the world's largest market for this type of product.

The operation is in line with the Pechiney Group's growth strategy in packaging. It opens up a new development zone for laminate tubes and, potentially, for plastic tubes, given the prospects offered by the South-American cosmetics market.

In 1999, laminated tubes accounted for 30% of CEBAL's sales, which totaled Euros 527 million. CEBAL will now have 29 manufacturing sites in 14 countries in Europe, North America, South America, Asia and Africa.

Edited by Bill Noone
Managing Editor, PackagingNetwork.com