Mpac Group plc, the global packaging solutions group, has acquired Lambert Automation Limited for £15 million. The acquisition supports Mpac’s strategic goals in driving innovation in the packaging solutions sector while remaining at the frontline of packaging machinery and automation excellence.

Founded in 1973, Lambert is a provider of technology leading automation solutions to the medical and consumer healthcare markets and is based in Tadcaster, Yorkshire, UK. Now employing more than 160 people, the business has established itself as a global leader in cutting-edge automation processes and transformational technologies.

The acquisition supports Mpac’s strategy of being a market leader in the provision of full-line packaging solutions for the pharmaceutical, healthcare and food and beverage sectors. Lambert will enable Mpac to engage earlier in client’s investment cycles and offer a more comprehensive range of automation and packaging solutions and allows the business to enter the medical and healthcare product assembly and packaging market, fulfilling the expected increase in demand for wellness products.

Warren Limbert, Managing Director at Lambert, will remain with Lambert as the deal presents growth opportunities with the existing Mpac business and access to its global sales and service infrastructure.

Tony Steels, chief executive of Mpac, commented: “Lambert is a high-quality business with proven performance and long-standing embedded relationships with global blue-chip customers. Clear synergies exist in the market, technologies and supply chain which will provide our customers and potential new customers even greater confidence in the delivery of complete turn-key packaging solutions. Lambert entered 2019 with a significantly higher order book than the previous year and I am excited about the potential."

Mpac Langen also announced the appointment of Michael Brown as Managing Director Americas, responsible for all functions of Mpac Langen’s Mississauga site in Canada and representing the region and the Mississauga business on the company’s Executive Leadership Team.

“The Americas represent a third of the global packaging machinery market and are a ‘Blue Ocean’ with tremendous opportunities for growth,” highlights Michael. “Mpac Langen has a tremendous reputation in the industry with, a strong vision. My goal is to focus on the growth opportunities, implementing Mpac Langen’s strategy to be a global leader in high speed packaging solutions.”

According to Brown, brand owners in North and South America are keen to embrace innovations in packaging automation to differentiate their own products and solutions: “At Mpac Langen our objective is to deliver packaging machinery technologies that are innovative and future-proofed. One example is the development of our Cartoner 4.0 concept, led by our creative engineering teams in Mississauga and Wijchen.”