Woodberry Packaging obtains Medica and F.G. Curtis to expand carton capabilities

Woodberry Packaging has announced the acquisition of Medica Packaging and F.G. Curtis, two British packaging manufacturers. The move aims to strengthen Woodberry’s position across Europe and enhance its capabilities across the pharmaceutical, healthcare, and personal care packaging sectors. 

The two businesses will continue to operate under their existing brands and management, ensuring continuity for personnel, customers, and supplier relationships.

The enlarged group now employs around 650 people across the UK and Ireland and has a combined turnover in excess of €120 million (US$137 million). Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Peter Santo, chief executive at Woodberry Packaging Group, says: “The acquisition of Medica and Curtis is a step in building our group across Europe. This is part of a clear, long-term strategy of bringing high-quality businesses together and integrating them well to create a stronger whole. Medica is the UK’s largest independent pharmaceutical carton converter, and Curtis is one of the most respected names in cosmetics packaging.” 

“We want to learn from both teams, invest in their businesses, and create opportunities none of us could achieve alone.”

Enhancing security of supply

Woodberry Packaging is backed by Dublin-based Woodberry Capital and has established its group by acquisitions across Ireland and the UK. 

Medica is a company focusing on pharmaceutical and healthcare cartons. Medication Packaging, the owner of Medica Packaging, acquired F.G. Curtis in 2022. Curtis brings expertise in cosmetics and personal care packaging.

Combined with Woodberry Packaging’s existing Reelvision site, the acquisition gives the group three PS 9000-accredited carton sites in the UK, the pharmaceutical industry’s quality standard, with its Irish business Colorman working toward the same accreditation.

Woodberry Packaging says the expanded group can provide a single accredited partner for customers with the security of supply that regulated markets increasingly require. 

Gerard Harford, managing director at Medica, comments: “We have built our business on the quality, compliance, and security of supply that pharmaceutical customers depend on, and becoming part of a larger group gives us greater scale and investment to do more for them. Our customers will work with the same team, to the same standards, now with a wider group behind them.”

James Williams, managing director at Curtis, adds: “Joining the wider Woodberry group gives us the scale and investment to build on that, while keeping the service and standards our customers value.”

The personal and home care sectors are increasingly looking to carton packaging solutions. Recently, the Norwegian Orkla Home & Personal Care company released Jif-branded all-purpose cleaners packaged in an Elopak D-Pak carton, as Elopak extends its laundry refill cartons across Nordic markets.

Last year, Graphic Packaging International and Radienz Living launched a child-resistant laundry pod carton.