JBT has announced completion of the acquisition of Proseal UK, an innovator in environmentally-friendly packaging systems with a manufacturing presence in Europe, the US and Australia. The purchase price for Proseal was £220 million, before customary post-closing adjustments.
Proseal is the leading manufacturer of tray sealing equipment for a range of protein food products including categories such as Red Meat, Pork, Poultry, Fish, Seafood, Ready Meals and produce categories such as Soft Fruit, Fresh Produce, Prepared Produce, Sandwiches, and Snack Foods. Proseal has been at the forefront of developing systems that improve product shelf life whilst minimizing the use of plastic at the same time.
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With machines capable of handling 240 packs a minute, the Adlington, UK-based company has experienced strong growth in export markets through the design, manufacture, assembly and servicing of high-quality tray sealing systems and turnkey production line solutions. Used predominantly for food packaging applications, Proseal is continuing to drive growth by developing systems that deliver important sustainability benefits through food preservation techniques and reduced energy consumption.
Carlos Fernandez, JBT’s Executive Vice President and President, Liquid Foods, said: “The Proseal acquisition provides JBT with a significant platform in the packaging space adding complementary solutions and value adding technologies to many existing customers across JBT’s Liquid Foods and Protein business segments.
“Tray sealing contributes to JBT’s efforts to provide greater sustainability as well as extending the shelf-life of foods, providing more labeling space on the package and enhancing product appearance. In particular, Proseal’s tray sealing technology pairs extremely well with current initiatives in the fresh-cut produce and case ready protein markets.”
As well as its UK site, Proseal operates manufacturing facilities through its Proseal America subsidiary in Richmond, Virginia, and a further site in Melbourne, Australia operated by Proseal Australia.