By Nancy DeMarco

German drum and intermediate bulk container manufacturer Mauser-Werke announced last week that it will merge with Italy’s Mamor, one of the world’s largest IBC manufacturers. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

“Mauser got off to a relatively late start in the IBC business, so the current merger will now allow the company to significantly increase its capacity in this swiftly expanding market,” the company said.

In Europe, plastic and metal drums are Mauser’s strongest performers, while in the United States, IBCs are the company’s largest business unit, Mauser USA President and CEO Brian DeMoura told Lube Report. “Mamor’s IBCs have design and technical features that are different from Mauser’s, so the merger of Mamor into Mauser will provide great benefit for our customers.
 
“We’re already selling into the petroleum packaging industry, and the additional resources from the merger will enhance our offerings.”
 
Mauser currently has five North American manufacturing locations, and Mamor has one.

Mauser-Werke GmbH & Co. KG, based in Bruhl, Germany, has 1,300 employees and reported Euro 320 million (U.S. $387 million) in sales in 2003. Milan-based Mamor S.p.A. has 300 employees, with 2003 sales of approximately Euro 100 million (U.S. $121 million). Mauser is owned by U.S. financial investor One Equity Partners, a subsidiary of the former Bank One, which recently merged with J.P. Morgan. The Mauser-Mamor merger is pending approval by the German Federal Cartel Office.