Texen targets America
PSB Industries subsidiary Texen is one of the biggest players in plastic packaging for the beauty industry with 2007 revenues of €125m. Now Texen has signaled its intention to grow further with the acquisition of Boston-based firm Mar-Lee Companies.
The purchase is billed as an opportunity for Texen to develop a new American clientele in the beauty field despite the fact that the Mar-Lee Companies does not currently serve the cosmetics industry.
The company manufactures technical plastic parts for the medical and health sectors. But it is the transferable expertise it has amassed in these industries that is attractive to the beauty buyers.
Mar-Lee Companies has grown sharply over the past few years to attain revenues of $19m in 2007. Texen said the company achieved this thanks to highly qualified labor, high-tech manufacturing know-how and advanced automation capabilities.
Molded Fiber sharpens green focus
Sustainability is one of the biggest trends in cosmetics packaging and Molded Fiber is chasing after its fruits. The company is piling more resources into the production of recycled molded pulp packaging for the health and beauty markets.
Molded Fiber has invested in equipment including large platen high tonnage presses for the production of “after-pressed” parts that it claims will give the molded pulp greater aesthetic appeal.
The manufacture of interior packaging said demand for sustainable products has risen sharply recently with the increasing cost of petroleum-based products.
IWKA marks name change with beauty launch
In other packaging news IWKA has changed its name to Oystar USA and marked the event with the roll-out of a cartoner for the cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries.
The new five inch pitch machine is called CARTOPAC SC5 and boasts low to medium outputs of up to 200 cartons per minute.
Sold through the Pharmaceutical Packaging Division the machinery is suitable for traditional applications such as bottles, blisters and tubes.