The Belgian group VPK Packaging, which already owns Ondulys, is continuing its expansion in France: it has just acquired part of the capital of Viallon Emballage. The details of this acquisition were not disclosed.
"This operation allows a strategic expansion of VPK's network in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region and a broadening of the corrugated board division's range of products and services" explains the Belgian specialist in recycled paper, corrugated and solid board packaging, tubes and cores.
With a design office and a flexographic and digital printing plant, Viallon Emballage, founded in 1964, designs and produces corrugated cardboard packaging solutions and POS displays, mainly for the wine and food industries.
The family business with 140 employees consists of a production site in Saint-Just-Malmon in the Haute-Loire near Saint-Étienne and a logistics site in Chaponnay near Lyon in the Rhône.
Pierre Macharis, CEO of VPK Group, said: "We are particularly delighted with this extension of our activities in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. Viallon Emballage has acquired an excellent reputation in the French corrugated cardboard sector. Now we are joining forces, with aligned visions, and promoting local strengths and the company's commercial identity"
Christian Viallon, son of the founders of the company, adds: "We can preserve our local identity and, at the same time, draw on the long experience and expertise of an independent, family-owned, international paper and packaging group."
Viallon Emballage will continue to market its products under its own brand name.
With the Ondulys group, VPK now has 1250 employees in France spread over 12 sites.
Worldwide, it employs 6,200 people at 65 sites in 20 countries, and in 2019 generated sales of 1.5 billion euros.
