Bericap expands closures manufacturing across Africa, South America and Southeast Asia with facility acquisitions

25 Jun 2024 --- Bericap has extended its production facilities in Africa, South America and Southeast Asia. The packaging closure specialist opened new plants in Nairobi (Kenya) and Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam) and acquired production facilities in Lima (Peru) and Durban (South Africa). 

The company now operates 30 production sites in 25 countries in order to be close to its customers in terms of project support, logistics and services.

Kenya
Bericap references Kenya’s “essential role” in an East Africa regional supply context. The new 3,500 m² facility in Nairobi/Kenya supports the localization of the commercial business that has been built up over the last eight years. 

The company produces closures for the lubricant industry and for food and beverage manufacturers at this location. Bericap also exports closures manufactured at the Nairobi facility to ten African countries. 

“The new plant in Kenya is a milestone on Bericap’s expansion journey in Africa. We are very pleased to have set up a strong team here in such a short timeframe, and our customers appreciate comprehensive local support and reliable product availability,” says Oguz Bursali, managing director Bericap East Africa.

South Africa
Bericap recently invested in another plant in South Africa, acquiring a closure business that was a division of Nampak, with which Bericap has had a technological partnership since 1998 for the South African market.

Bericap ribbon cutting in South Africa.The production facility in Durban started trading as Bericap South Africa in March. Bericap South Africa will be marketing the entire Bericap closure portfolio, as well as the locally manufactured closures, in South Africa and neighboring countries.

“We will be focusing our efforts on various projects that will help us reach the high operational standards set by Bericap. The support and training we are receiving from the broader team is incredible and is helping us become fully integrated into the global Bericap network,” comments Derek Coleman, managing director for Bericap South Africa.

Peru
Peru is Bericap’s fourth production site in Latin America and allows good access to Bolivia, the northern part of Chile and Ecuador. Major companies in Peru have also signalized their interest in having a closure specialist with explicit research and development expertise in the region, the company notes.

This prompted Bericap to acquire a 5,000 m² production facility in Lima with 50 employees. The Bericap team in Peru is supported by the teams at Bericap do Brazil and BericapERICAP Argentina. 

“The close collaboration between the various Bericap teams and sites in South America, together with the pooled strengths and expertise, enable us to deliver added value to our customers as a provider of the best closure solutions and tailored services,” says Aurel Forgaci, managing director Bericap do Brasil.

Vietnam
In September 2023, Bericap chose Vietnam as another base in Southeast Asia and set up a production site here. The company highlights the region’s “excellent market potential” for modern closure solutions in the sectors of beverages and dairy products, food and chemical products.

Production commenced in mid-October and the plant has reportedly passed all mandatory external audits.

“Tamper-evident closure solutions are particularly relevant for manufacturers in the Vietnamese market who are keen to protect themselves against product piracy. Bericap has the right solutions for these manufacturers, and the fact that they are also easy to use and therefore consumer-friendly explains why they are very much in demand,” says Swee Heng Lee, managing director of Bericap Vietnam.

Elsewhere, Bericap invested in a new production facility in Kunshan, China, last April, increasing production capacity by 50% to meet growing customer demand. With plans to commence production in 2027, the strategic location near Shanghai positions Bericap within the evolving business landscape of the Kunshan Development Zone.