Ara Partners (“Ara”), a private equity firm that specialises in industrial decarbonisation investments, today announced that it has acquired Petainer Ltd. (“Petainer” or the “Company”), a UK-based, global producer of sustainability-focused beverage packaging solutions. Petainer was acquired by Ara in partnership with Petainer management and affiliates of Next Wave Partners LLP.
Petainer, which is led by CEO Hugh Ross, is a technical and innovation leader in the development and manufacture of sustainable, high-performance polyethylene terephthalate (PET) packaging solutions for blue chip customers in the soft drinks, beer, water and other CPG sectors. The Company has particular strengths in refPET (multiple-use, refillable bottles), rPET (recycled PET) and circular applications.
Mr. Ross stated: “Ara’s investment focus on industrial decarbonisation and its expertise and existing presence in the plastics recycling industry in Europe and the Americas make them a uniquely valuable partner for Petainer. Ara’s ownership will significantly enhance Petainer’s ability to invest in expansion alongside our multi-national customers as these customers implement their global sustainability and circularity strategies.”
Petainer offers a wide range of sustainable PET packaging solutions which allow its customers to reduce their carbon footprint. It has over 35 years of experience designing and manufacturing high-quality, cost-efficient products with circularity as a core principle. It operates eight sites in Europe, the Americas and Asia to serve customers globally.
Christopher Picotte, a partner at Ara, noted: “Petainer is a compelling addition to Ara’s portfolio of companies working to decarbonise the packaging industry through technical innovation and best practices. From its product leadership in the refPet and rPet markets, to the certified carbon neutral manufacturing at its Lidköpking factory in Sweden, the Company has consistently achieved success in decarbonising both its products and its own operations. We look forward to working with Hugh and his team and supporting Petainer in its future growth.”
