AMI: European Rigid Film and Sheet Industry
Several major players are using over 100,000 tonnes of resin/year and the market share of the largest companies is growing, with the role of private equity investors also increasing, according to new research from Applied Market Information Ltd, Bristol, England, looking at Europe’s leading players, with three of the top five companies now owned by financial investors.
The largest producer in Europe is Klöckner Pentaplast, a long established supplier of rigid PVC films but also with a growing position in the supply of rigid PET films. It has been in private equity ownership since 2001, when it was divested to Cinven.
Number two in Europe in this sector is the recently created group, Paccor International, which is owned by Sun Capital Partners, Inc., which is building a global plastics packaging business in both flexibles and rigids.
The other private equity owned top five player is VitasheetGroup. Vitasheet was formerly owned by British Vita but since 2005 it has been owned by the private equity group TPG Capital (formerly Texas Pacific Group).
Other groups using in excess of 100,000 tonnes include Groupe Guillin, RPC Group, Linpac and Coexpan.
AMI estimates that the thermoplastic rigid film and sheet market in Europe reached just over 4 million tonnes in 2012, which matched the 2008 (pre-recession) level, with over 800 sheet production plants operating in Europe. The top 50 producers now account for nearly 65% of the total European sheet market compared with 56% five years earlier.
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