With the acquisition of Stempher (Rijssen / The Netherlands; www.stempher.nl), Oerlemans Packaging Group (Genderen; www.oerlemanspackaging.nl) is reinforcing its position in the flexible packaging market: with the two Stempher facilities in Rijssen, the buyer’s production network is increasing to 10 locations in the Netherlands. The transaction also expands the portfolio, according to Oerlemans CEO Joan Hanegraaf. This is because, in addition to polyethylene films and bags, Stempher also manufactures paper bags, which until now have not been a part of the Oerleman product range.

Founded in 1890, Stempher employs 120 people and produces packaging for dairy products, groceries, animal feed, potting soil, peat, fertilisers, chemicals, building materials, sand and gravel, as well as wood and straw fibres. Its plastics processing activities comprise mono-extrusion and co-extrusion of LDPE, LLDPE and HDPE; the range of services also includes assembly and film printing. Other business units of the Oerlemans group, which by now has almost 750 employees, are Fardem, Flexpak, Oerlemans Plastics, Oosterwolde Plastic Industry, Perfon and Plasthill.