A giant of 1.4 billion dollars in packaging

IPL, a manufacturer of rigid-plastic products, announced it is merging with Schoeller Allibert, a manufacturer of reusable transport packaging. The proposed merger creates an international sustainable packaging producer with a manufacturing footprint in 27 locations across Europe, the United Kingdom and North America, and a combined proforma annual revenue of over 1.4 billion dollars in 2024.

IPL mainly manufactures sustainable, rigid-plastic products for the food, consumer, environmental and agriculture sectors, largely in North America, with significant manufacturing operations in the United Kingdom. Headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, it has approximately 2,500 employees across 16 manufacturing sites and reported revenue of 822 million dollars in 2024. Schoeller Allibert manufactures returnable transport packaging and provides related services, serving customers across sectors such as automotive, beverage, food, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, retail, and material handling, primarily in Continental Europe. Headquartered in Hoofddorp, the Netherlands, it has approximately 1,600 employees across 11 production locations and had revenue of 550 million euros in 2024.

The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter 2025. The new company will be 55% owned by the existing IPL shareholders and 45% owned by the existing Schoeller Allibert shareholders, headquartered in Dublin, and led by current IPL CEO Alan Walsh, who declared: “The future of packaging lies in sustainability, innovation and adaptability. This merger will allow IPL and Schoeller Allibert to combine our strengths on both sides of the Atlantic to meet that future together. With an unwavering commitment to innovation, we’ll not only enhance the way we serve our customers but also optimise the skillsets of both companies to build a strong, resilient foundation for growth”.

“Our combined strength in packaging solutions is well positioned to benefit from the tailwinds for the sector, driven by corporate sustainability ambitions and evolving regulations to improve value chains and reduce the environmental impact of packaging waste. We look forward to together delivering leading customer service and innovative global solutions”, Schoeller Allibert CEO Alejandro Cabal Uribe added.