Australian packaging giant Amcor has moved to buy a rival packaging group Aperio for $238 million, pending ACCC approval on March 29.
In a Statement of Issues by the ACCC on the proposed acquisition on February 28 this year Amcor was cited as holding the biggest market share of flexible packaging, with Aperio named the second or third biggest Australian supplier.
“The ACCC at this stage considers that the proposed acquisition may substantially lessen competition for the supply of flexible packaging products in Australia,” the Statement of Issues said.
“The ACCC considers that the proposed acquisition would remove Amcor’s main competitor for supply of flexible packaging products in Australia.”
Food, beverage and grocery products are the biggest segments of the flexible packaging industry, which also includes packaging for pharmaceuticals, chemicals, construction and agricultural products.
Aperio Group is a privately held company with headquarters in Nunawading, Victoria, with 13 plants in Australia and New Zealand and one in Thailand. It is run by former Amcor executive Peter Sutton. Amcor has 21 existing plants.
