In a move to complement its existing U.K. based business, UNI UK, the UNI Packaging Group, has announced the acquisition of flexible packaging specialists Arteb Printing Ltd. Based in St. Helens, Merseyside, Arteb has more than 30 years of experience in the flexible packaging sector.

 

Operating from six production sites across France, UNI Packaging provides a full range of flexible packaging solutions including gravure, flexographic and digital printing, vacuum pouch and standup pouch manufacture, lamination, laser scoring, co-extrusion, and logistics. UNI Packaging Group employs 300-plus people in sites and offices across 15 countries.

The acquisition of Arteb provides a strong fit with UNI Packaging's expansion plans, as well as a manufacturing capability to the U.K. market. Occupying a 10,000 sq. ft. site, Arteb's range of services include gearless flexographic print in up to eight colors, lamination, patterned cold seal, perforation, and slitting operations. In addition to the existing processes, UNI Packaging will also install a new pouch manufacturing facility at St. Helens, to further enhance the U.K. product offering.

 

For UNI UK, the move has strategic importance. "We have a growing market share in this country and with the resources we have across the group, we can operate on a different level to other flexible packaging companies, allowing us to give our customers a consistently high level of service at every stage," said UNI UK's Rod Entwistle.

 

"The acquisition of Arteb represents a step-change for our customers, allowing them to benefit from the assurance of a U.K. manufacturing capability and the advantages that brings, such as faster lead times. The move will also provide the group with additional capacity at a time of ongoing expansion," Entwistle added.