(Plastics Today) -- The plastic bottle blowmolding giant is adding to its presence in the machine manufacturing market with its decision to purchase Techne, an Italian manufacturer of extrusion blowmolding machinery. The extrusion blowmolding machinery manufacturers' space has been a tough one for years and Techne was not spared; it has been operating under liquidation proceedings since last year.
Graham Packaging used to manufacture its own rotary wheel extrusion blow molding machinery but divested that business many years ago; that business continues to operate as Graham Engineering Corp, and like Graham Packaging also is based in York, PA. The deal for Techne was announced little more than a week after packaging processor Silgan announced that it had agreed to purchase Graham Packaging. As we have previously reported, Graham Packaging has an agreement with Japan's Tahara to manufacture and market that company' all-electric blowmolding machinery in Europe.
The actual purchase of Techne is being conducted by Graham subsidiary, Graham Packaging Company Italia S.r.l., which will pay EUR 8.8 million for Techne (Bologna, Italy). Graham Packaging intends to acquire intellectual property, inventory, fixed assets, customer relationships, and trade agreements, and says it will continue to operate Techne's manufacturing site in Bologna.