VPK Group NV has come to an agreement with Copi Holding to buy Encase Ltd, manufacturer and designer of corrugated cardboard packaging. VPK Group NV has come to an agreement with Copi Holding to buy Encase Ltd, manufacturer and designer of corrugated cardboard packaging. Encase operates two integrated corrugated packaging plants in England and one sheet plant in Scotland. It is VPK’s intention to merge Encase with its UK corrugated operations, formerly known as Rigid.

VPK’s corrugated operations in UK and Ireland, formerly known as Rigid Containers and recently rebranded as VPK Packaging, experienced consistent yearly growth since it entered the VPK Group in 2000. Under its ownership, VPK invested more than GBP 100 m into the division. Desborough was transformed into the UK flagship site, whereas greenfield sites in Wellington and Selby gradually increased capacity to fully mirror operations on all three sites. As part of its long-term strategy, it is now VPK’s intention to fully merge Encase with the existing VPK UK corrugated operations. The combined businesses are expected to achieve yearly sales of more than GBP 200 m in corrugated packaging and sheets.

VPK has a proven track record of successful investments and acquisitions in corrugated manufacturing assets. These include four sheet feeding plants in Poland and Germany – known under the brand name Aquila, an ultra-modern greenfield investment project in Halden/Norway which was recently put into operation and the acquisition of Viallon Emballages in France. With regards to containerboard production, the pioneering conversion in Strasbourg/France of the former UPM Stracel assets by Blue Paper, set a new standard for the recycled containerboard industry.