Tetra Laval grows through acquisition

The Tetra Laval Group and the SIG Group signed an agreement March 3 for the former to acquire SIG Simonazzi (filling equipment) and SIG Alfa (labeling equipment). These two companies had combined sales of € 320 million in 2004 and have approximately 1500 employees. The acquired companies will merge with Sidel, the industry group within Tetra Laval focused on plastic packaging equipment. Through this acquisition, Sidel will be better positioned to respond to customers’ needs in the beverage-filling and labelling segments. By adding Simonazzi’s and Alfa’s equipment to Sidel’s product offering we will be able to provide our customers with a complete product portfolio, says Larry Pillard, Chairman of the Tetra Laval Group Board of Directors.Simonazzi has been a leading brand of filling equipment for 150 years, offering a product line portfolio for Water, Carbonated Soft Drinks (CSD) and sensitive beverages - both hot fill as well as aseptic technologies. The acquisition of Simonazzi will also enable Sidel to enter into the glass and the canned beer market, and therefore offer additional opportunities for the beer industry, says Pillard.The acquisition is conditional upon, among other things, regulatory approval.