The reasons for the acquisition are greater globalisation and Glud & Marstrand's desire to increase its market share of metal packaging for the food industry.

 

Managing Director Jørgen Kjærgaard explains: "There is a growing market for quality cans for food products throughout South-east Asia. With the expertise that has been the hallmark of G&M for more than 100 years, it is quite natural for us to try and capture part of this market."

 

Jørgen Kjærgaard continues: "We have acquired a share of a state of the art 5,000 sq m factory with new production equipment. The main product will be steel cans for meat (luncheon meat cans with easy-open lids).

 

We also plan to install a production line for aluminium cans for canned fish in 2010. In line with the rising prosperity in the area, demand for such types of packaging is growing fast in China and the rest of South-east Asia.

  

G&M's extensive knowledge of the production of metal packaging for food products was a major factor that led to our contact with Hebei Unitech Co. Ltd. Many engineers from our Danish factories have been in China for some time to help ensure that the factory and production meet G&M's normal standards so that we produce very high quality cans in China too," concludes Jørgen Kjærgaard.

 

The company, which will henceforth be called Hebei G&M Co., Ltd., will employ 40-50 people and is expected to achieve sales of just over DKK 100 million within the first year.