Mergers & Acquistions
Crown Holdings has purchased Signode Industrial Group Holdings,
a global supplier of transit packaging, for $3.9 billion from
The Carlyle Group. Signode produces strap, stretch and protective
packaging, as well as packaging tools and equipment to apply the
bulk packaging materials. It is based in Glenview, IL and operates
in 40 countries.
McBride, a manufacturer of aerosol and liquid personal care, skin
care, oral care and toiletry products for retailers, has agreed to sell
its European personal care liquids business, which includes its
operation in Bradford, UK and one in Belgium, to Royal Sanders
Group for £12.5 million ($16.5 million). In its half year results
in February, McBride announced plans to launch an accelerated
“transformation program” to return its Personal Care & Aerosols
(PCA) division to break even within 18 months. In June, the group
announced proposals to close it UK aerosols operations at Hull,
putting 117 jobs at risk. With the absorption of certain volumes
into McBride’s French aerosols operation, the group
expects its aerosols operation profits to break even by
July 2019.
Conagra Brands, the maker of Reddi-wip, is set to
acquire all outstanding shares of Pinnacle Foods in
a cash and stock transaction valued at approximately
$10.9 billion, including Pinnacle Foods’ outstanding
net debt. The transaction will expand Conagra’s
presence in frozen foods and snacks with brands such
as Birds Eye, Duncan Hines, Earth Balance, Hawaiian
Kettle Style Potato Chips, Hungry-Man, Udi’s,
Vlasic, Wish-Bone and more.
78 Spray August 2018
Unilever is set to acquire a 75% stake in Italian personal care and
wellbeing business Equilibra. The company, founded in 1987 by
Franco Bianco in Turin, markets skin care, hair care and nutritional
supplements based on plant-based ingredients. Bianco will continue
on as Honorary Chairman. Terms of the transaction were not
disclosed.
Coty Professional Beauty is partnering with DKSH’s Business Unit
Consumer Goods division to enhance distribution to consumers in
Singapore and Malaysia. The cooperation includes a broad range of
professional hair care products with brands such as Wella Professionals
and Nioxin, the first leg of which will target salon owners and
professionals. DKSH will specifically provide distribution, logistics
and sales order processing for Coty’s brands.
Equity firm L Catterton has made a $200 million minority investment
in natural beauty and baby product maker The Honest Co. to
help accelerate innovation initiatives and boost operational capabilities
worldwide. In other news, The Honest Co. has formed an exclusive
retail distribution partnership with European retailer Douglas,
which has more than 2,500 stores. This partnership is set to begin
spring 2019 in seven European countries.
Tata Steel and thyssenkrupp AG have agreed to combine their European
steel businesses in a 50/50 joint venture to create new company
called thyssenkrupp Tata Steel BV. It is slated to become a high
quality flat steel producer in Europe. The transaction is still subject
to merger control clearance by the EU and other authorities. Terms
of the deal were not disclosed. Until completion of the merger, the
companies will operate as separate entities. Spray
People In the News
Precision has appointed John Kawalchuk to
Regional Manager–North America and Precision
Global Managing Director–North America. He
will report directly to CEO Mario Barbero in
Precision’s worldwide headquarters in Greenville,
SC. Kawalchuk has contributed over forty years of
experience in the manufacture, sales and technical
development of aerosol spray and liquid dispensing
systems.
Coty Inc. announced that it is restructuring the leadership of its
Consumer Beauty Division
with the simultaneous promotions
of three Chief Marketing
Officers who will oversee
different segments of the
business. Mike Bryce, Mark
Cooper and Ukonwa Ojo will
lead color cosmetics, retail
hair and body care; lifestyle
scenting; and Cover Girl and
Sally Hansen, respectively, replacing the sole former Marketing Chief
Friedemann Schmid, who leaves in September.
Avon Products, Inc. has named Bill Rahn as Group VP, Asia Pacific
(APAC) where he will oversee Avon’s business in China, India, Malaysia,
Philippines and Taiwan. Rahn’s previous post with Herbalife
International of America was Senior VP, Managing Director for
APAC. He has more than 30 years experience in the region and
will be part of the Avon’s Management Committee. Rahn succeeds
Richard Pinnock who has transitioned to Group
VP Global Sales.
Sven Godorr, VP of Technology at Sasol Performance
Chemicals, has joined the American
Cleaning Institute’s (ACI) Board of Directors. His
current term with ACI will last through January
2020. Godorr has served with Sasol for 22 years.
He holds a PhD in Chemical Engineering.
CPL Aromas has appointed Emily Heron as its first Head of Sustainability
to help boost CPL’s sustainability communications and initiatives
in the fragrance industry at it 17 sites worldwide. Heron formerly
managed CPL’s SHE department at the Brixworth, UK facility and
played a significant role in gaining ISO 1400:2015 certification at
both the Brixworth and Dubai, UAE production sites.
Shiseido Americas Corp. has named Jill Scalamandre
as President of the newly established Global
Makeup Center of Excellence in New York, NY,
where she will lead projects to boost innovation,
capabilities and product offerings in prestige color
cosmetics. Scalamandre previously served as Chief
Marketing Officer of skin care at Coty.
Schmid Ojo
Godorr
Scalamandre
Kawalchuk