Doug Lawson

M&A activity in the North American and global packaging industry continues to show signs of growth, according to a new BMO Capital Markets study released recently. BMO’s sixth annual report, Mergers and Acquisitions in the Packaging Industry: 2010 Annual Deal Review, examines M&A trends in the packaging industry over the last several years on a North American and global basis (report available upon request). "The challenging conditions that plagued the M&A market in 2008 and 2009 began to improve in 2010," said Doug Lawson, Managing Director and Head of

CHICAGO—BMO Capital Markets, the investment and  corporate banking arm of BMO Financial, has released its fifth annual report on packaging mergers and acquisition (M&A) activity, entitled “Mergers and Acquisitions in the Packaging Industry: 2009 Annual Deal Review.”

LINTHICUM, Md.-The Flexible Packaging Association will hold its 2009 Fall Executive Conference on September 24 at The Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Chicago. The single-day conference combines industry-focused educational programs with networking opportunities.

Merger-and-acquisition (M&A) activity in any industry segment usually reflects the overall health of its economic conditions. In good times, companies have cash and confidence to pursue expansion activities and new growth markets—many times, via the M&A route. In not-so-good times, the activity slows, as companies look inward toward strengthening their existing businesses through cost reductions and efficiency improvements.

CHICAGO—The BMO Capital Markets Packaging Group has released its third annual report on mergers and acquisition activity in the packaging industry.

The flexible packaging industry is, and will continue to be, a relatively healthy segment in the realm of package printing. This doesn’t mean that everything is rosy—not by a long shot. The U.S. economy is being stressed to a significant degree by a credit crunch driven by the sub-prime fiasco, and inflationary pressures fueled by the cost of crude oil, which recently surpassed $110 per barrel. Flexible packaging advantages A slowdown in the economic environment not withstanding, flexible packaging has many factors in its favor. It continues to move into established packaging segments with distinctive product offerings, many times in the form of pouches.