Kohlberg to Merge Bemis Healthcare Packaging Europe with Nelipak Following $394M Acquisition

On August 12, 2019, VCBeat (WeChat ID: vcbeat) learned from foreign media reports that Kohlberg announced the acquisition of Bemis Healthcare Packaging Europe, Amcor’s flexible packaging business unit, for $394 million. Following the completion of the acquisition, Bemis Healthcare Packaging Europe will merge with Nelipak and operate under the brand name Nelipak Healthcare Packaging. Nelipak is a global supplier of custom packaging solutions for the medical device and pharmaceutical industries, which was acquired by Kohlberg in July 2019.

In this acquisition, William Blair served as Amcor’s financial advisor, and Goodwin Procter served as Amcor’s legal counsel. Lincoln International served as the financial advisor to Kohlberg and Nelipak, and Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison served as their legal counsel.

Bemis Healthcare Packaging Europe, established in 1858 and headquartered in Wisconsin, USA, is a healthcare packaging company. The company is a global leader in the development and manufacturing of packaging for food and beverage, pharmaceutical, medical, home and personal care products, as well as other products. Bemis Healthcare Packaging Europe employs nearly 50,000 people, operates in more than 40 countries worldwide, and generates annual sales of approximately $170 million.

Kohlberg is a leading private equity firm headquartered in Mount Kisco, New York. Since its founding in 1987, Kohlberg has organized eight private equity funds, raising over $7.5 billion in committed capital. Over its 32-year history, the firm has completed 76 platform investments and nearly 200 add-on acquisitions, with total transaction value exceeding $15 billion.

Nelipak, established in 1953 and headquartered in Cranston, Rhode Island, USA, is a manufacturer of medical product packaging. The company offers packaging design solutions for Class II and Class III medical devices, as well as logistics services for medical supplies. Nelipak possesses extensive in-house expertise in design, development, manufacturing, and prototyping, while also providing surgical trays, pharmaceutical handling trays, custom sealing machines, and other value-added services. With over 800 employees and seven production facilities—five located in the United States and others in select European regions—Nelipak maintains a robust global manufacturing presence.

“We are excited to welcome Bemis, a great organization with outstanding talent and strong capabilities, into the Nelipak family,” said Mike Kelly, President and Chief Executive Officer of Nelipak. “We will leverage the unique strengths of both companies to meet our customers’ needs through innovative design, world-class quality, and excellent service. This will significantly enhance Nelipak’s capabilities and provide our customers with more packaging alternatives.”

At the press conference, Kohlberg’s partner Seth H. Hollander stated, “The recent acquisition of Nelipak has provided us with a platform for growth and integration, while the acquisition of Bemis offers us a unique opportunity. The complementarity between the two companies makes our product portfolio more global and diversified.”

Roger Prevot, Kohlberg’s operating partner, added, “This merger creates attractive revenue growth opportunities through cross-selling and geographic expansion. Mike and his team will be better positioned to serve the company’s customers, becoming their comprehensive partner in healthcare packaging.”

(Compiled by Cheng Tao)