IMA invests in food packaging

IMA SpA strengthens its position on the global market of food packaging equipment with particular focus on the dairy industry with the acquisition of five companies  under the German group Oystar. And foresees a positive impact for the entire Emilia-Romagna supplier industry. 

Bologna, December 15, 2014. In a crowded and lively press conference at the headquarters of Unindustria, followed by our magazine on the specially dedicated streaming channel, IMA SpA announced that it has signed an agreement for the acquisition of the companies Benhil, Erca, Hassia, Hamba and Gasti, part of the Oystar group.
The satisfaction of the IMA top management was obvious and plain to see: not only does the buy-up involve the German industry’s spearhead in the sector, hence enabling a first rank repositioning at international level, but negotiations were carried out featuring an innovatory approach. Furthermore, as stated by Alberto Vacchi, Chairman and CEO of IMA, at the conference, with this move the Emilia based group performs a significant leap in size that is bound to trigger further growth opportunities. The German companies – it was communicated - have already completed a procedure of decentralisation of output, which will allow IMA to progressively shift important functions to Italy, typically design, without reducing the workforce of the newly acquired companies. Over the next three years the operation will provide a sort of scattered “distributed contracting” to the Emilia-Romagna subcontractor supplier industry, with positive effects on employment.
 
The actors. IMA has thus signed an investment agreement with Lin Vermögensverwaltung GmbH, company controlled by the private equity fund Odewald & Compagnie, for entry into the capital of the companies currently under the Oystar group (leader in the design, manufacture and marketing of machines, lines and systems for packaging products for the food and in particular for the dairy sector, with production facilities in Germany, France, Spain and India). Through this alliance IMA and the companies Benhil, Erca, Hassia, Hamba and Gasti, gathered under a newly formed holding company called IMA Dairy & Food Holding GmbH, will enjoy significant synergies that will encourage common growth. IMA will detain a share of 80% of the new holding company, while Lin will own the remaining 20%.
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