Pallet makers Cabka and Innova Packaging merge

Two plastic pallet manufacturers -- Cabka and Innova Packaging System -- have merged under the newly-founded Cabka Group.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Until a joint brand is announced, the Cabka and IPS labels will remain intact, according to a news release.

Combined, the two companies will be a broad-based, international provider of plastic pallets, boxes and pallet boxes. Both companies have complementary product portfolios and production sites: Cabka specializes in inexpensive, one-way pallets for exports, while IPS focuses on higher-priced multi-way pallets.

Along with injection moulding operations, Cabka has mixed plastics recycling lines as its plants in Weira, Germany; Valencia, Spain; Toronto, Canada and St Louis, US.

IPS, based in Ypres, Belgium, serves the Benelux countries as well as the UK, Ireland, France and Spain.

The merger will enable both companies to improve their market positions and effectively innovate, according to the release.

"We want to organically grow together by way of a strong range and continuous innovation-based expansion," said Gat Ramon, a Cabka Group director, said in the release.

Cabka Group’s plans include a new production line, complete with recycling plan for mixed plastics, in the vicinity of Ypres, Ramon said.

The combined company will have 390 employees, two thirds of which will come from Cabka and one third from IPS. No changes to the overall employee count are planned, according to the release.

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