NEWS Film M&As slump in August
Mergers and acquisitions in film slumped to zero in August according to PMCF, a consultancy that tracks M&A deals. It says there were no film-related
deals in August 2026 – down from seven in the previous month, and one in August 2025. However, sheet and thermoforming moved in the oppo- site direction, with four deals in August compared to just one in the previous month. This brings year-to- date activity to 18 transactions, compared to 11 to August 2025. Overall, the company tracked 29 deals in August – less than the 37
completed in July, and the 28 in August 2025. In the year to date, PMCF tracked 300 deals, compared to 278 in the same period last year. Strategic buyers represented only
45% of the deal volume – and an- nounced seven fewer transactions than the year-to-date monthly average. Financial buyers accounted for 16 deals in August, up from nine in August 2025. ‘Industrial’ remained the largest end market with 19 deals in August (down from 22 in August 2025), taking it to 209 deals for the year-to-date – 39 deals ahead of the same point last year. This made it the only end market
to show a year-on-year increase in transaction announcements. There were 13 domestic (ie, US)
transactions in August and 98 in the year to date, representing 33% of all volume. ‘Foreign’ (non-US) transac- tions accounted for 13 deals in August and 156 for the year to date – for a total of 52%. Medical deals rose from one to four
in Augut. The most notable and relevant example was Truvant’s takeover of Multi-Pak Packaging. Both are contract manufacturers that supply to the medical industry. �
www.pmcf.com
French and US firms team up in water-soluble packaging
Two producers of bio- based, water-soluble flexible packaging – France-based Lactips and US-based SmartSolve – have an- nounced a global strategic partnership. The companies began working together in 2024 and have since advanced through a stage-gate R&D process, bringing PureNil 0 from early-stage develop- ment to commercial scale within two years. This has now been formalised as a long-term partnership, with a joint innovation roadmap that extends beyond PureNil 0 to future materials. PureNil 0 is a dispersible, printable and flexible packaging substrate. It rapidly disperses in water without leaving microplastic residues, and offers an alternative to conventional single-use packaging. The material is approved for
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as an R&D collaboration in 2024 is now a long-term strategic partnership.” Alexis von Tschammer,
von Tschammer: “This agreement with SmartSolve is a significant milestone in our global expansion”
direct food contact and already has customers in areas such as beauty and personal care, and food and beverage.
“Lactips gave us the one thing this industry has been missing: a water-soluble material that performs at commercial scale,” said Jonathan Jakubowski, CEO of SmartSolve. “What started
FILM & SHEET EXTRUSION | October 2026
CEO of Lactips, added: “This exclusive agreement with SmartSolve marks a signifi- cant milestone in our global expansion. It reflects the maturity of our technology and our ability to provide an industrial-scale solution ready for deployment across the US market. Together, we have the opportunity to make a lasting positive impact on industry practices and the environment.” Lactips, founded in 2014, employs 40 people in France, while US-based SmartSolve was founded in 2016. It has grown into a 55,000 sq ft facility and recently received a JobsOhio Research and Development Grant. �
www.lactips.com �
www.smartsolve.com
Intertape buys Clysar shrink film
US-based packaging film specialist Intertape Polymer Group (IPG) has acquired Clysar, a manu- facturer of polyolefin shrink film. The deal is backed by
Clearlake Capital. Financial terms of the sale were not disclosed.
IPG will now have two established brands in shrink film – adding Clysar to its own Exlfilm. It says the acquisition strengthens its relationships with key distribution partners and end users and expands its North American manufac- turing capabilities. “We see a significant
opportunity to build on Clysar’s strengths and leverage the broader IPG platform,” said Pete Durette, CEO of IPG. �
www.itape.com �
www.clysar.com
www.filmandsheet.com
IMAGE: LACTIPS
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