Kickstart: Amcor, Berry deal in shareholders' hands

The massive packaging M&A deal between Amcor plc and Berry Global Group Inc. goes in front of shareholders today.

Both companies will meet Feb. 25 to ask shareholders to approve Amcor's $8.4 billion acquisition of Evansville, Ind.-based Berry.

"The combined company will have significant opportunities to further refine the portfolio and leverage differentiated material science and innovation capabilities to revolutionize product development, and solve customers' and consumers' sustainability needs," the companies said in January when they announced they had filed a joint proxy agreement on the sale.

The deal has the unanimous support of both companies' board of directors. Even assuming shareholders approve the move today, the deal isn't expected to close until the middle of 2025.

Both Berry and Amcor have remained busy even as they continue to move toward a final purchase. Berry recently completed the acquisition of injection molder and blow molder CMG Plastics of New Jersey, Plastics News' Jim Johnson reports.

And Amcor executives also have been working to determine which parts of Berry to sell off in the future to reshape the company.

Beyond acquisition prep work, Berry and Amcor also have continued to announce projects for sustainable packaging.

Amcor has partnered with Avantium Technologies BV to bring its plant-based PET alternative to market for rigid containers.

And on Feb. 24, Berry and Mars Inc. announced they were rolling out pantry-size packages of Mars' Starburst and M&M brands of candies in containers with 100 percent recycled content, excluding the lids. That's a jump from a 15 percent recycled content level introduced in 2022.

The pantry jars come in three sizes: 60, 81 and 87 ounces. Berry said in a news release that the switch will eliminate more than 1,300 metric tons of virgin plastic annually (a number it points out is the equivalent to the weight of about 238 African elephants, just in case you were wondering).

Tech giant Apple Inc. is ready to spend $500 billion to manufacture servers in the U.S. To make that happen, it is also opening an advanced manufacturing academy so its suppliers can develop the next generation of manufacturing workers for the tech industry.

"The $500 billion commitment includes Apple's work with thousands of suppliers across all 50 states, direct employment, Apple Intelligence infrastructure and data centers, corporate facilities and Apple TV+ productions in 20 states," Apple said in a Feb. 24 announcement.

A new Apple Manufacturing Academy in Detroit will involve existing Apple engineers, experts from area universities and "will consult with small- and medium-sized businesses on implementing AI and smart manufacturing techniques," the company said.

There will be free in-person and online courses to "help drive productivity, efficiency and quality in companies' supply chains."

Detroit also is home to a training center focused on software and app development.