This just in, our 25th annual ranking of North American thermofomers has been updated with figures received after our ranking chart went to print.
The total sales for our 217 ranked firms came in at $13.7 billion, up 3.8 percent over last year. The sales breakout is $11.6 billion, or 85 percent in packaging sales, and $2.05 billion, or 15 percent, in industrial.
This year we've flagged the top five packaging and industrial firms in our chart. Look for the blue circle symbols in the print edition. The average sales per company is $143 million, that's up 5 percent over last year, in addition, the average number of lines per firm is up 3.4 percent. Overall a good year for thermoforming.
The two firms updated are Direct Pack Inc., a packaging thermofomer in Azusa, Calif., who comes in at No. 12 with an estimated $230 million in related sales. It made the news in this week's issue for its acquisition of Atmosphera Verde SA de CV, a PET recycler in Guadalajara, Mexico.
Amcor Ltd. completed its acquisition of Bemis Co. Inc. in June 2019. Our listing for Amcor Flexibles North America did not include all operations, now coming in at No. 16 with five plants and related sales estimate of $180 million.
In other news: Reynolds Consumer Products Inc. is now a stand-alone public company and would be a separate entity supplier to Pactiv LLC ranked at No. 1, who could now choose other suppliers as well. Cups and lids maker Lollicup USA Inc.'s parent, Karat Packaging Inc., withdrew its IPO registration in October. AIA Plastics Inc. was acquired by Laird Plastics in 2019 and merged into Laird Plastics Denver.
As I was researching this year's data, I came across a number of plants falling off our ranking, more than usual. Due to consolidations, acquisitions and closings 19 locations are closed, including two in Canada and one in Mexico.
