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Tag: Schoeller Allibert

Plastic Pallets Merger

Posted on by David Priestman

Industry mergers continue apace, including in the reusable plastic packaging sector. They may provide shareholder and investor value, but what does it mean for customers and competition in the market?

IPL, a manufacturer of rigid-plastic products 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 and North America, and a combined proforma annual revenue of over US $1.4 billion in 2024.

IPL manufactures sustainable, rigid-plastic products for the food, consumer, environmental and agriculture sectors, largely in North America, with significant manufacturing operations in the UK. Headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, it has approximately 2,500 employees across 16 manufacturing sites and reported revenue of US$822 million in 2024.

Multiple Acquisitions

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. The company is the amalgamation of eight different plastic pallet and container companies brought together over the last couple of decades.

Arca Systems of Sweden were acquired by Schoeller in 2005. Interestingly there is now a Romanian company with the same name. Perstorp Plastic Systems was another Swedish company acquired, leaving Perstorp to focus on its chemicals business. Wavin Systems was a Dutch business that Schoeller bought prior to that.

The big merger was in 2013 with French plastics manufacturer Allibert. Allibert merged with British manufacturer, Linpac Materials Handling in 2007, becoming Linpac Alibert. Linpac had already acquired Paxton of the UK. American manufacturer Buckhorn (containers and pallets) merged with Allibert prior to the Linpac deal. Today Buckhorn Inc. is a division of Myers Industries in Ohio.

Schoeller is a family-owned company that developed out of traditional roots from Gebrüder Schoeller in Düren, founded in 1799 and Alexander Schoeller & Co, Jülich, founded in 1880 and is now held by Martin and Christoph Schoeller and their families in the 7th generation.

The merged company will be headquartered in Dublin and led by current IPL CEO Alan Walsh (above). The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2025, subject to customary closing conditions. Walsh said: “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 will 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.”

Schoeller Allibert CEO Alejandro Cabal Uribe (right) added: “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.”

Advisors & Investors

IPL is owned by investment funds managed by Madison Dearborn Partners, a private equity investment firm based in Chicago, and CDPQ, a global investment group. Schoeller Allibert is owned by Brookfield Asset Management’s private equity business and the Schoeller family. The new company will be 55% owned by the existing IPL shareholders and 45% owned by the existing Schoeller Allibert shareholders.

As a European market leader with a legacy spanning 65 years, Schoeller Allibert has led the charge in revolutionizing supply chains with returnable transport packaging solutions that are both efficient by design and circular by nature. Headquartered in Hoofddorp, the Netherlands, Schoeller Allibert has a worldwide presence in over 50 countries, with approximately 1,600 employees, 11 production locations producing more than 30m products annually. Its global turnover in 2024 was €550m.

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Brewing Grolsch and Sustainable Pallets

Posted on by David Priestman

Sustainable reusable packaging specialist Schoeller Allibert and Dutch brewery Royal Grolsch are taking a further step towards a circular economy with their latest joint project: sustainable pallets made from recycled plastic.

The Royal Grolsch brewery in Enschede in the Netherlands combines centuries-old craftsmanship with a forward-thinking approach to innovation. To reach its sustainability targets and address its operational demands, Grolsch has partnered with Schoeller Allibert. The packaging specialist is an expert in material innovations made from recycled plastics – the companies share the common goal of a functioning circular economy.

Old pallets, new problems

The current keg pallets no longer met the company’s needs. Their heavy weight drove up transportation costs and related CO2 emissions, while outdated molds made them harder to source and less reliable. But it wasn’t just about logistics and function – Grolsch also wanted to achieve its ambitious sustainability goals.

“Replacing these pallets was an excellent occasion to consider their environmental implications,” says Joost Nawijn, Packaging Material Development Specialist at Koninklijke Grolsch. “That’s why we wanted a lighter pallet made from recycled material, thus a more sustainable solution.”

Solution for the circular economy

No big task for Schoeller Allibert: the company delivered a tailor-made keg pallet that meets all the brewery’s requirements. The new load carriers are made of 100 percent post-consumer recycled plastic and are also 12 kilograms lighter than their predecessors. Grolsch can therefore significantly reduce the material used.

How has Schoeller Allibert achieved this? The designers achieve the reduced weight of the pallet with the special honeycomb structure, but also through a different production technique. Instead of using a low-pressure process, the experts manufacture the keg pallets using a high-pressure injection molding process. The recycled plastic comes from post-consumer material – i.e. used bottles and packaging that are collected, sorted, cleaned and processed into new products. On the other hand, old pallets (post-industrial material) are also used. This reduces emissions by 83 percent compared to pallets made from virgin materials. Once the load carrier has reached the end of its life cycle, Schoeller Allibert takes it back and recycles it. An example of a functioning circular economy.

Optimum handling, individual design

The new pallet offers even more features for the brewery’s day-to-day operations. The honeycomb structure makes it lighter and stronger. Forklift trucks can also pick it up more easily thanks to the smoother fork entries, which means that hardly any damage occurs. The stackable design enables a seamless transition between old and new pallets, allowing the user to use both versions in parallel. In addition, the stackability reduces the space required for return transportation, which also reduces CO2 emissions – as fewer trips are required.

The new pallets have been in use since January 2025. The close cooperation between Schoeller Allibert and Grolsch resulted in a perfect solution in which improved utilization function, reduced CO2 emissions and cost savings go hand in hand.

“Our intelligent solutions are tailored to the requirements of the Grolsch brewery,” summarizes Vincent Vos, Head of Design at Schoeller Allibert. “To achieve this, our experts listen to what the customer needs, develop a solution and test it until it is successful.”

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Supplier Turns Waste into Plastic Beverage Crates

Posted on by David Priestman

Less waste, lower CO2 emissions, economical use of resources – there are many arguments in favour of reusable transport packaging, including plastic beverage crates. Using recyclable and returnable beverage crates is even more sustainable. At Stand 121 in Hall 4A at the Brau Beviale (26 to 28 November 2024, Nuremberg) Schoeller Allibert will be showcasing the unstoppable synergy of circularity, design, and innovation.

Sustainability, efficiency, and customizability are key issues for the beverage industry. Costs can be reduced and production processes organized more efficiently, in addition to the benefits for people and the environment. Plastic packaging experts Schoeller Allibert have been leading the way for over 65 years, pioneering efficient and sustainable supply chains.

One current example is the crate developed with Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, which is made from 97 per cent recycled plastic. Compared to crates made from new material, this innovation saves around 64 per cent of CO2 emissions during crate production compared to crates made from virgin plastic. The 97 per cent recycled plastic used by Schoeller Allibert is composed of 85 per cent grinded old crates and 15 per cent recycled plastic nets.

Plastic Beverage Crates

These come from Dutch tulip production and are processed into granulate by partner Healix. The experts in design and sustainability created a crate with a patented swirl technique in masterbatch that helps reduce scrap during production. Schoeller Allibert subjected the new crates to extensive testing at its test center in Hardenberg. The result: the new crates are just as resistant as the previous ones.

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