The acquisitive Italian group has signed an agreement with Papeterie Zuber Rieder to take over the business, subject to consultation with the French firm’s works council.

Papeterie Zuber Rieder was founded in 1881. It employs 130 staff and since the turn of the century has focused its offering on specialty papers for labels, packaging and perfumed cards. Its range includes food grade papers and 'ice bucket proof' labels. 

Fedrigoni said the buy would create “the first global player in premium papers for wines and spirits”, and Zuber Rieder would benefit from its production capabilities and international network.

CEO Marco Nespolo commented: “Their marked specialist skills and proprietary technologies will allow us to supplement our already rich product portfolio both for papers for luxury packaging and those for high-end wine and spirits labels, where we want to consolidate our position as the leading global player. 

“This future transaction once again shows that we are determined to pursue a constant global strategy of growth, both in specialty papers for all creative applications and in premium self-adhesive materials, in order to better serve our customers worldwide.”

Papeterie Zuber Rieder Luc Gaillet chairman and CEO Alain Martz issued a joint statement that said: “Zuber Rieder and its people could not find a better home to grow, consolidate and face new challenges. The Fedrigoni Group is a century-old industrial company, like Zuber Rieder, with ambitious international development goals, to which we will be pleased to give our contribution.”

The Papeterie Zuber Rieder mill is located in Boussières to the east of Dijon.

The deal is Fedrigoni’s fifth deal this year, and follows last month’s purchase of the Guarro Casas mill in Spain from Arjowiggins. 

Fedrigoni is owned by private equity specialists Bain Capital and BC Partners.