Amcor plc is a global packaging company. It develops and produces flexible packaging, rigid containers, specialty cartons, closures and services for food, beverage, pharmaceutical, medical-device, home and personal-care, and other products.
The company originated in paper milling businesses established in and around Melbourne, Australia, during the 1860s which were consolidated as the Australian Paper Mills Company Pty Ltd, in 1896.
Amcor is a dual-listed company, being listed on the Australian Securities Exchange () and New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: AMCR).
, the company employed 41,000 people and generated US$14.7 billion in sales from operations in some 200 locations in over 40 countries.
Reflecting its global status, Amcor is included in several international stock market indices, including the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, CDP Climate Disclosure Leadership Index (Australia), the MSCI Global Sustainability Index, the Ethibel Excellence Investment Register, and the FTSE4Good Index Series.
Structure
Amcor has two reporting segments: Flexibles Packaging and Rigid Plastics.
Flexibles Packaging develops and supplies flexible packaging and specialty folding cartons. It has four business units: Flexibles Europe, Middle East and Africa; Flexibles Americas; Flexibles Asia Pacific; and Specialty Cartons.
Rigid Plastics is one of the world's largest suppliers of rigid plastic packaging. It has four business units: North America Beverages; North America Specialty Containers; Latin America; and Bericap Closures.
History
Australian Paper Manufacturers was renamed Amcor Limited in 1986. Previously, the company manufactured pulp paper and paperboard products, along with metal can and flexible packaging.
The printing paper divisions were spun-off into a new company, named Paperlinx, in April 2000. This demerger was intended to enable Amcor to focus on global packaging.
Amcor's 45 percent interest in Kimberly-Clark Australia, a tissue and personal-care products company, was divested in June 2002.
Mergers and acquisitions
In July 2002, Amcor acquired the rigid packaging and closures businesses of Schmalbach-Lubeca, headquartered in Ratingen, Germany. This acquisition, at a cost of around $2.875 billion, made Amcor the largest manufacturer of PET (Polyethylene terephthalate) containers, globally.
In 2007, Amcor sold its European PET business to La Seda, a Spain-based manufacturer.
In February 2008, Amcor announced the construction of a 400,000-tonnes per annum recycled paper mill located at its existing paper mill in Botany, New South Wales. The 'B9' paper machine, so named as it was the ninth paper machine to operate at the Botany Mill, was commissioned in 2012 and was officially opened by the Premier of New South Wales, Barry O'Farrell, on 1 February 2013. The B9 paper machine produced enough paper to fulfill the company's Australasian paper requirements, and as a result, Amcor's other recycled paper mill in Fairfield, Victoria, closed in late 2012.
In 2010, Amcor completed the acquisition of Alcan's food (Europe and Asia) and global pharmaceutical and tobacco businesses from Rio Tinto for US$2.03 billion.
In 2011, Amcor acquired Marfred Industries, one of the largest independently owned packaging manufacturers and distributors in the United States.
In 2012, Amcor acquired the business assets of Carter & Associates, a major distributor of Amcor glass wine, champagne and spirit bottles in New Zealand.
In 2012, Amcor acquired the Aperio Group packaging company, adding further capability in Australia, New Zealand and Thailand. This company also acquired Uniglobe Packaging, a business based in Daman, north of Mumbai, India, in the same year.
In December 2013, Amcor demerged its Australasia and Packaging Distribution (AAPD) business into a separate company called Orora, which is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange. The spin-off allowed Amcor to focus on making flexible- and rigid-plastic packaging and tobacco packaging, mostly for overseas markets.
In 2015, Amcor's chairman, Graeme Liebelt, advised that Ken MacKenzie would retire as CEO effective 17 April 2015 and would be succeeded by Ron Delia.
In July 2015, Nampak Flexibles, a flexible packaging business in South Africa was acquired by Amcor for US$22 million.
In September 2015, the US$30 million acquisition of Souza Cruz's internal tobacco packaging operations in Brazil was completed. This acquisition aligned with Amcor's objective of growing in Latin America.
In October 2015, the US$55 million acquisition of Encon, a privately owned preform manufacturing business in the United States, was completed.