Berlin Packaging acquires BlueSky to expand UK reach
Key takeaways
- Berlin Packaging has acquired BlueSky to expand its presence across pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, beauty, personal care, home care, and beverage packaging.
- BlueSky’s plastic, metal, and glass packaging portfolio is said to complement Berlin Packaging’s sourcing, innovation, and supply chain capabilities.
- The deal follows Berlin Packaging’s recent European expansion moves, including the Cosmei acquisition and Origin Materials partnership.
Berlin Packaging has taken over BlueSky, a UK-based packaging company focused on pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, beauty, personal care, home care, and beverage markets. Through the acquisition, the US hybrid packaging supplier aims to strengthen its position in these segments in the UK and EMEA.
“The acquisition of BlueSky represents a strategic step in expanding our presence and capabilities in the UK market,” says Marcel Schröder, president at Berlin Packaging EMEA. “BlueSky brings cross-sector expertise and a complementary portfolio of materials and packaging solutions that enhance our existing offering.”
Headquartered in Grimsby, UK, BlueSky is a family-owned supplier of plastic, metal, and glass packaging solutions, including specialized containers, closures, and dispensing systems. It specializes in serving small and medium-sized customers with its sourcing expertise.
“Its strong customer-centric approach and value-added services align closely with Berlin Packaging’s business model. We are thrilled to team up with the professionals at BlueSky to serve our customers, and we are confident this new chapter will allow us to deliver even more comprehensive solutions to our collective customers while supporting their continued growth.”
Russell Wade, managing director at BlueSky, adds: “Joining Berlin Packaging marks a new chapter for our team and our customers.”
“By combining our highly responsive, consultative service with Berlin’s global scale, sourcing strength, and innovation capabilities, we will be able to offer our customers a broader range of packaging solutions, enhanced supply chain resilience, and even greater support as they grow.”
Boosting European presence
Last year, Berlin Packaging acquired the Italy-based cosmetics company Cosmei to expand its personal care sector reach. It also partnered with Origin Materials to leverage its PET 1881 caps to enable lighter packaging.
Discussing the European packaging sector with Packaging Insights, Berlin Packaging highlighted the positive aspects of regulatory pressure, including the UK’s packaging EPR and the EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation and Green Claims Directive, arguing it spurs innovation.
“These regulations will drive us to enhance our efforts in testing the recyclability of our packaging, replacing non-compliant packaging with innovative solutions, and reducing material usage without compromising on packaging performance, look, and feel while ensuring compliance with the stricter material and labeling standards,” the packager said.
