Acquisition to expand the company’s industrial, flexible and UN-certified packaging offerings
Berlin Packaging, the world's largest Hybrid Packaging Supplier®, and Bark Packaging Group, a supplier of industrial, flexible, and UN-certified packaging, announced today that they have entered into a definitive agreement for Berlin Packaging to acquire Bark.
Founded in 1978 by Henk Bark, Bark evolved from a traditional packaging wholesaler to a value-added supplier of industrial packaging. Bark expanded into flexible packaging with the acquisition of Dutch Pack International in 2017 and into UN-certified packaging for the transportation of hazardous goods with the acquisition of CarePack in 2021. Over the last decade, Bark has become known for its proprietary and customized designs through Bark Innovations.
In June 2022, Bark acquired DeeDee Pouch Professionals, a supplier of sustainable and innovative pouch solutions and other flexible products to the European food and chemical markets. DeeDee was founded in 1993 by Doortje Schilders and today is managed by her two daughters, Elke Coolen and Inge Louwers.
“We are thrilled to be joining forces with Bark and Berlin Packaging. Everyone at DeeDee is ready to help our new and existing customers find the perfect pouch for their product,” said Elke Coolen and Inge Louwers, Directors of DeeDee.
“We are excited to start this new chapter with Berlin Packaging. Together we can offer our clients a wide range of cutting-edge solutions and offer our people even more opportunities,” added Berny Plas and Erik Bos, joint CEOs and shareholders of Bark Packaging Group.
“The addition of Bark and DeeDee will give Berlin Packaging a stronger foothold in Northern Europe, especially for flexible and UN-certified packaging. It will also expand our industrial packaging capabilities in Northern Europe, including Germany, a key European market. We are eager to welcome our new colleagues from Bark and DeeDee and are confident that combining these companies with Berlin Packaging will help us serve our clients better than ever,” said Marcel Schröder, who leads Berlin's Benelux, Nordics and DACH regions.
Private equity firm Quadrum Capital has been a minority investor in Bark since 2020 and will be exiting its investment in Bark once the sale to Berlin Packaging is complete. During Quadrum Capital’s investment period, Bark enjoyed robust revenue and profitability growth.
“We are proud to have been part of Bark’s growth journey over the last years. It is an excellent example of a successful partnership with an entrepreneurial management team driving superior growth, complemented by the strategic and M&A support of the Quadrum Capital team. We recognize the strong strategic rationale of a combination with Berlin and wish Berny and Erik all the best in continuing to grow the business in the years to come,” said Gert Van Drie, Director at Quadrum Capital.
The acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to be completed in the 4th quarter. All employees and locations for this acquisition will be retained.
About Berlin Packaging
Berlin Packaging is the world's largest Hybrid Packaging Supplier® of glass, plastic, and metal containers and closures. The company supplies billions of items annually along with package design, financing, consulting, warehousing, and logistics services for customers across all industries. Berlin Packaging brings together the best of manufacturing, distribution, and income-adding service providers. Its mission is to increase the net income of its customers through packaging products and services.
