PLASTICS MARKET UK
Private equity firm Enact Fund to buy speciality chemicals business GEO, packaging company Waddington Europe
— By Plasteurope.com correspondent —
 UK private equity firm Endless expands its portfolio by acquiring speciality chemicals producer GEO and sustainable packaging group Waddington Europe (Photo: Enact) |
The Enact Fund, a division of UK private equity firm Endless (Leeds; www.endlessllp.com) has acquired GEO Specialty Chemicals UK and packaging outfit Waddington Europe (Milton Keynes, UK; www.waddingtoneurope.com). Waddington Europe comprises two businesses, Par-Pak Europe and Holfeld Plastics. Financial details of the transactions were not disclosed.
With annual turnover of over GBP 68 mn (EUR 78 mn), GEO is based in Southampton, on England’s southern coast, and operates from a 53-acre site. The company supplies alkoxylation, methacrylate chemistry, and speciality silicones to the coatings, lubricants, and medical devices markets. Its previous owner was US-based CPS Performance Materials Group (Bound Brook, New Jersey; www.cpsperformancematerials.com).
Enact, which currently owns three other businesses – including healthcare supplies group Pal International and motorbike retailer Superbike Factory – said it plans to invest capital in GEO to support operations and provide strategic backing to accelerate growth.
Welcoming the opportunity to work with Enact, GEO chief executive Simon Haythornthwaite, said, “Despite well-documented challenging market conditions, there are some exciting growth opportunities in the niche, high speciality markets we operate in.”
Related: UK close to restricting BPA in food packaging
The second acquisition saw Enact buy Waddington Europe from its US-based owner, Novolex Holdings (Hartsville, South Carolina; www.novolex.com). The business operates from three sites across the UK and Ireland and generates close to GBP 70 mn in annual turnover, supplying sustainable packaging to sectors including food, pet food, medical, and industrial.
Enact said Waddington Europe’s customer base included major supermarkets and food service providers across the UK and Europe.
Kiran Reddy, Enact’s associate director at the firm’s Manchester office, who led the transaction, said Waddington Europe had developed long-standing partnerships with key customers and suppliers. They added that Enact would support the group’s management with their plans to build on these relationships.
With annual turnover of over GBP 68 mn (EUR 78 mn), GEO is based in Southampton, on England’s southern coast, and operates from a 53-acre site. The company supplies alkoxylation, methacrylate chemistry, and speciality silicones to the coatings, lubricants, and medical devices markets. Its previous owner was US-based CPS Performance Materials Group (Bound Brook, New Jersey; www.cpsperformancematerials.com).
Enact, which currently owns three other businesses – including healthcare supplies group Pal International and motorbike retailer Superbike Factory – said it plans to invest capital in GEO to support operations and provide strategic backing to accelerate growth.
Welcoming the opportunity to work with Enact, GEO chief executive Simon Haythornthwaite, said, “Despite well-documented challenging market conditions, there are some exciting growth opportunities in the niche, high speciality markets we operate in.”
Related: UK close to restricting BPA in food packaging
The second acquisition saw Enact buy Waddington Europe from its US-based owner, Novolex Holdings (Hartsville, South Carolina; www.novolex.com). The business operates from three sites across the UK and Ireland and generates close to GBP 70 mn in annual turnover, supplying sustainable packaging to sectors including food, pet food, medical, and industrial.
Enact said Waddington Europe’s customer base included major supermarkets and food service providers across the UK and Europe.
Kiran Reddy, Enact’s associate director at the firm’s Manchester office, who led the transaction, said Waddington Europe had developed long-standing partnerships with key customers and suppliers. They added that Enact would support the group’s management with their plans to build on these relationships.
27.01.2026 Plasteurope.com [259495-0]
Published on 27.01.2026