Resin distributor M. Holland Co. is expanding its presence in Europe through a partnership with Febo SpA.
Under the agreement, Febo — based in Pestoia, Italy — will have distribution rights for M. Holland's Mtegrity-brand certified prime resins in Italy, Greece and the Balkans. In an interview with Plastics News, Steve Armstrong, M. Holland international resale vice president, said the deal initially will focus on polyethylene resins.
"We see Europe becoming a net importer [of resins]," he added. "It's the fastest way for us to grow our business."
In a news release, officials with M. Holland in Northbrook, Ill., said that the partnership with Febo extends their firm's commercial reach in Europe. It is M. Holland's second European distribution partnership and its first since 2020, when it linked up with JL Goor Materials of Dublin for distribution in Ireland and the United Kingdom.
M. Holland also recently opened a commercial office in the Netherlands. Last year, the firm named Ton Koenders as its first-ever European sales director.
The partnership with Febo allows M. Holland to bring materials to customers in new regions through Febo's commercial and logistics network, which includes eight warehouses in Italy and Greece.
International sales "are the fastest growing part of our five-year strategy," Armstrong said, and they now make up more than 20 percent of the firm's sales total. He added that M. Holland would like to add sustainable materials to its European offerings and is looking to make acquisitions in the region as well.
Febo and M. Holland "share mutual goals and align on a strategic business mission in Europe," Gian Luca Casarini Elkan, Febo commodities business manager, said in the release.
M. Holland's Mtegrity resins hold REACH certification, granted by the European Chemicals Agency, which allows for the distribution of materials across European markets.
Febo was founded in 1958 by the Ferretti family. The firm now distributes a wide range of commodity and engineering resins and has annual sales of more than $300 million.
M. Holland, which was founded in 1950, is one of North America's largest resin distributors, selling more than $1.5 billion in materials to more than 4,000 customers annually. The firm serves more than 70 countries across North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.