US packaging specialist Pregis (Deerfield, Illinois / USA; www.pregis.com) has signed a definitive agreement to buy Free-Flow Packaging International (FP International, Fremont, California / USA; www.fpintl.com). The acquisition is expected to close in the coming weeks. The company said that the acquisition will help accelerate its product development, particularly in e-commerce, and will also significantly strengthen its position in new international markets.

FP International’s products include well-known brands “Mini Pak’r”, “Pro Pak’r” and “Power Pak’r” – machines that create bubble wraps to keep products safe during transport. According to the company website, one of its customers is “the world’s largest parcel delivery provider.”

Pregis plans to continue operations at all of FP International’s manufacturing facilities – two in the US and one each in Germany, France and the Netherlands.

The acquisition is Pregis’ sixth in the past four years under its private equity fund owner Olympus Partners (Stamford, Connecticut / USA; www.olympuspartners.com). The other five are Rex Performance Products, Sharp Packaging, 3M’s PolyMask protective films business (see Plasteurope.com of 19.09.2016), Easypack paper-based protective packaging systems and Eagle Film Extruders.