ORBIS Corporation acquires LINPAC material handling business in North America

Dec 13, 2006. /Lesprom Network/. ORBIS Corporation, a subsidiary of Menasha Corporation, announced on December 11 that it has entered an agreement to acquire the North American material handling business of LINPAC Group Limited, Birmingham, England. Terms of the transaction, which is expected to close by the end of 2006, were not disclosed. The acquired LINPAC business manufactures bulk containers and pallets used in automotive, food, beverage and general industrial applications. Included in the purchase are manufacturing facilities in Georgetown and Bardstown, Kentucky. LINPAC's materials handling business has approximately 285 employees in North America. The transaction also includes LINPAC's sales, engineering and testing capabilities in Shanghai, China. "This acquisition is one of several made over the last couple of years in support of Menasha Corporation's goal of long-term profitable growth," said Arthur W. Huge, president and chief executive officer of Menasha Corporation. "The acquired business will strengthen the innovative product design and development capabilities that helped make ORBIS a leading returnable packaging product and service provider in North America." According to Jim Kotek, president of ORBIS, "Our customers are continually looking to ORBIS for leadership and expertise in ways to reduce their supply chain costs with returnable packaging. This is a tremendous opportunity to meet the diverse and growing needs of the marketplace with an expanded product line and enhanced service levels to support our customers in North America. Additionally, it will extend ORBIS? reach into China, allowing us to quickly respond to the growing needs for returnable packaging in the Chinese marketplace." ORBIS has a proven record and reputation with North American and international companies for enhanced material movement through its innovative product and service solutions. Plastic returnable containers and pallets improve the flow of product all along the supply chain to reduce costs. ORBIS, located in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, helps world-class customers move their produce faster, easier, safer and more cost-effectively. ORBIS uses proven expertise, industry-leading knowledge, innovation, superior products (containers, pallets and dunnage) and supply chain services (pooling, cleaning and logistics) to implement returnable packaging systems. Menasha Corporation is based in Neenah, Wisconsin. Established in 1849, it is one of America’s oldest privately held manufacturing companies and specializes in corrugated packaging and high-quality point-of-purchase displays, plastic returnable packaging, in-store consumer promotion and pharmaceutical labeling and packaging. The company has more than 2 900 employees in facilities located across North America.