Primepac was a division of Swedish Group A&R Carton and it is now owned by general manager Paul Nixon, the owners of FCP Jan Ahmed and Jed Gisbourne, and a fourth shareholder who wishes to remain a "secret partner".

"As far as we are concerned this is just a natural progression for us, and if and when the right opportunity comes up then we will acquire," said Ahmed.

"I have worked in the Primepac sector for seven years and I felt it needed to be taken out of the corporate environment," said Nixon. "I approached FCP as I've known them for a long time. There is a lot of synergy between the businesses."

Primepac is a paperboard container product used in the storage of products including ice-cream. It has a sales office in Sheffield and according to A&R Carton production machinery will be moved to the UK during the summer. A&R and the new Primepac owners will co-operate, with A&R continuing to sell the product in Europe via its sales force.

Nottingham-based FCP acquired Smurfit Cartons last month, rebranding the Essex firm as Fine Colour Witham and nearly doubling its size (PrintWeek, 26 May). At the end of last year FCP bought Hill & Tyler.

By Philip Chadwick