Ardagh Metal Packaging (AMP) announced the acquisition of a majority share in innovative digital can printers NOMOQ, in a move that extends AMP’s industry-leading support of newcomers to the beverage market.
The Switzerland-based start-up, founded in 2021, promises beautifully printed cans with short lead times and “NO Minimum Order Quantity” – hence the name. Their extreme versatility and customer-centric proposition allows beverage companies of every size to flex their creativity and produce stunning packs with almost limitless colour options and photorealistic graphics.
NOMOQ is the latest super-agile innovator to be welcomed under the AMP umbrella. AMP’s acquisition in 2021 of Quebec-based Hart Print saw AMP enhance its digital print offering to emerging customers in the North American market, and with AMP’s investment in a majority stake in NOMOQ, it provides the platform to roll out access to the same cutting-edge print technology to all of its European customers. As well as supporting fast-growing market entrants, NOMOQ’s superb flexibility also enables larger producers to trial new products, implement short-term event-based marketing campaigns, or run special editions with no obstacles on batch size.
Cans have outstanding consumer appeal, being convenient, lightweight, shatterproof, and infinitely recyclable. With a higher proportion of new European beverages now launched in cans, drinks producers are increasingly recognising their exceptional potential for brand-building thanks to the sheer range of customisation options. NOMOQ’s passion is making cans into stand-out “works of art”, through a graphical capacity that encompasses millions of colours and shades, and several eye-catching finishes: matte, glossy or selective gloss.
Ardagh Group S.A. , a global supplier of infinitely-recyclable metal beverage and glass packaging for the world’s leading brands, and Gores Holdings V, Inc., a special purpose acquisition company sponsored by an affiliate of The Gores Group, announced that they have entered into a definitive business combination agreement under which Gores Holdings V will combine with Ardagh’s metal packaging business that will be held by Ardagh Metal Packaging S.A. (“AMP”) to create an independent public company. The Company intends to apply to list its shares on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) under the new ticker symbol “AMBP”.
Ardagh will retain an approximately 80 % stake in AMP and receive up to $3.4 billion in cash in the transactions. Oliver Graham, CEO of Ardagh Metal Beverage, will be CEO of AMP. Paul Coulson, Chairman and CEO of Ardagh, will serve as Chairman and Shaun Murphy, COO of Ardagh, will serve as Vice Chairman of the Company following the closing of the transaction.
AMP is a global leader in the supply of sustainable and infinitely-recyclable beverage cans. The Company has a leading presence in the Americas and Europe and is the second-largest beverage can producer in Europe and the third-largest in North America and Brazil. As the only pure-play beverage can company, AMP products touch billions of consumers worldwide. The Company believes that strong demand in traditional and new beverage categories coupled with environmentally-conscious end consumers are driving an inflection point in beverage can demand and the Company is well positioned to capitalize on these multifaceted growth opportunities. The Company has a compelling financial profile, with a clear and tangible growth trajectory backed by long-term customer contracts and expects to double Adjusted EBITDA from $545 million in 2020 to over $1.1 billion in 2024.
About Ardagh Group S.A.
Ardagh is a global supplier of infinitely-recyclable metal and glass packaging for the world’s leading brands. Ardagh operates 56 metal and glass production facilities in 12 countries, employing more than 16,000 people with sales of approximately $7 billion.
About Ardagh Metal Packaging
AMP will hold Ardagh’s metal packaging business, which is a leading supplier of beverage cans globally, with a particular focus on The Americas and Europe. Headquartered, in Luxembourg, the business supplies sustainable and infinitely-recyclable metal packaging to a diversified customer base of leading global, regional and national beverage producers. Ardagh’s metal packaging business operates 23 production facilities in Europe and the Americas, employs approximately 4,900 people and recorded revenues of $3.5 billion in 2020.
About Gores Holdings V, Inc.
Gores Holdings V is a special purpose acquisition company sponsored by an affiliate of The Gores Group for the purpose of effecting a merger, acquisition, or similar business combination. Gores Holdings V completed its initial public offering in August 2020, raising approximately $525 million in cash proceeds. Gores’ strategy is to identify and complete business combinations with market leading companies with strong equity stories that will benefit from the growth capital of the public equity markets and be enhanced by the experience and expertise of Gores’ long history and track record of investing in and operating businesses for over 35 years. To date, Alec Gores and affiliates of The Gores Group have announced and completed six business combinations representing over $27 billion in transaction value. Prior business combinations for special purpose acquisition companies sponsored by affiliates of The Gores Group include: Hostess (Gores Holdings, Inc.), Verra Mobility (Gores Holdings II, Inc.), PAE (Gores Holdings III, Inc.), Luminar (Gores Metropoulos, Inc.), United Wholesale Mortgage (Gores Holdings IV, Inc.), and the pending Matterport transaction (Gores Holdings VI, Inc.).
About The Gores Group LLC
Founded in 1987 by Alec Gores, The Gores Group is a global investment firm focused on partnering with differentiated businesses that can benefit from the firm’s extensive industry knowledge and decades long experience. Gores Holdings V and The Gores Group are separate entities with separate management, although there is overlap in size and industry of target acquisition and personnel involved.
The acquisition strengthens the glass packaging offer throughout Northern Europe
Berlin Packaging, leader in the supply of glass, plastic and metal containers and closures, acquired on 6th October Vinkova B.V., important supplier of food products and drink glass packaging solutions, based in Bussum, the Netherlands. With more than 50 years of experience, Vinkova offers a huge range of tailored solutions and products to a large customer base on the Dutch market, boasting solid industry know-how and strong relations with some of Europe’s most important glass producers.
The strategic joining of Vinkova is, for Berlin Packaging, the completion of the range offered on the Dutch market, supplementing the innovative plastic and metal solutions and innovative closures already marketed on the territory since 2019.
Berlin Packaging is a global player supplying packaging solutions and services to customers of all types, across the globe, in all industrial sectors. The company is based in North America, where it has been operating since 1898, and boasts a global footprint that is expanding rapidly, with more than 130 offices and warehouses worldwide.
Vinkova is the eighth acquisition to be made in Europe since 2016. Customers and suppliers of both companies will benefit significantly from this acquisition and the combined operations of Europe’s most important packaging distributor.
Starting today, Vinkova’s customers can enjoy the exclusive design and innovation services guaranteed by Bruni Glass Innovation Center in Italy and by the One Eleven Studio in the United States of America.
Fully in line with the Berlin Packaging acquisitions strategy, the workforce and structure of Vinkova will not change in any way: all employees will remain with the company, as confirmation of the growth and development objectives in Europe.
