Bosch Packaging Technology is planning to buy food packaging machinery firm, Kliklok-Woodman Corporation.
Kliklok Woodman employs some 240 associates and supplies customers worldwide from its US headquarters in Georgia.
The company produces food packaging machines for a wide range of different uses, and has a second manufacturing facility – Kliklok International Ltd – in Bristol. In 2014, the firm generated sales revenue of almost £42m.
The purchase price has yet to be officially announced, and the purchase is still subject to the approval of antitrust authorities.
President of the Bosch Packaging Technology division, Friedbert Klefenz commented: “This planned acquisition will further extend Bosch Packaging Technology’s position in the food and confectionery industry. Above all, it will enhance our system capabilities as a single-source supplier.”
Kliklok-Woodman packages goods such as pastries and confectionery, frozen food, and dairy products.
The company focuses mainly on the development, manufacturing, and marketing of secondary packaging machinery such as end-load cartoners and top-load erectors and closers, and of primary packaging machinery such as vertical form, fill, and seal machines.
CEO of Kliklok-Woodman, Bill Crist noted: “This is great news for our customers, especially those with growing global operations, those who value single source systems responsibility, and those who desire variety in their flexible packaging formats.
“We are proud of this strategic change, which has the potential to provide our successful, international associate team with further opportunities and aligns with the core values and reputation we have built over 60 years.”
Klefenz added: “Kliklok-Woodman will help boost Bosch’s presence in this market, and the acquisition is an important step on the road to fulfilling our PA 2020 growth strategy.”
The planned acquisition of Kliklok-Woodman follows Bosch Packaging Technology’s purchase of Ampack (Germany) in 2012 and Osgood Industries (US) in 2015.
