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• The HUBER Packaging Group with its headquarters in Öhringen/Germany is a formerly family-run business with a history of almost 150 years. It is a leading European manufacturer of tinplate packaging for chemical-technical products and beverages with a turnover of approx. € 180 million, 900 employees and factories in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the UK and Hungary.
• To validate its options and help its shareholders find a path forward amidst fragmented local competition with many small and medium-sized suppliers and increasing consolidation between some very large international groups, HUBER appointed VIRETUM CONSULT in spring 2020.
• In a limited bidding process spanning four continents mostly strategic buyers were approached, with family-run ENVASES Universales group from Mexico ultimately confirmed as the best suitable partner.
• The Envases Universales group is divided into three packaging divisions – PET, Aluminum Beverage and Food & Industrial Packaging. The group currently has more than 50 manufacturing facilities, three joint ventures and operates on four continents. The acquisition of HUBER Packaging group adds to its previous acquisitions in Europe of Glud & Marstrand A/S in Denmark in 2011 and of Pack2Pack B.V. in The Netherlands in 2019. The two are leading producers of metal packaging in Scandinavia and Benelux, respectively.

Transaction Details

• VIRETUM CONSULT acted as Sole Financial Adviser to the shareholders and supervisory board of HUBER Packaging Group.
• VIRETUM CONSULT proposed and organized the limited bidding process including assistance of the management of HUBER in preparing the documentation, identifying further suitable potential buyers, approaching them on a confidential basis, and providing support in coordinating the due diligence and negotiating the transaction.

Hanns-Peter Wiese, Owner of VIRETUM CONSULT, said: 

“This marks a landmark transaction for both transaction parties and VIRETUM CONSULT which single-handedly led this transaction smoothly from A – Z involving international participants from four continents, big five audit & accounting firms as well as renowned leading law firms with large teams acting at both ends. This deal represents a significant milestone in the consolidation of the European metal packaging sector and a rare opportunity with only a limited number of independent players of size left in an otherwise still fragmented market dominated by large international groups.

The transaction is expected to close in Q1 2021 and is subject to regulatory approvals.