Plastics Industry M&A Activity Tracking
Global Plastics M&A recorded 36 deals in November, which was three more transactions than the 2024 monthly average. Elevated financial buyer activity drove deal flow in November, while strategic buyers experienced slightly below-average volume. Despite above-average activity, November 2024 fell short of the November 2023 volume, which recorded 40 transactions and set the high-water mark for 2023. Through 11 months, 370 deals have been tallied, representing a 24-deal increase over the same period in 2023. November marked the seventh consecutive month with more than 30 deals completed, as Global Plastics M&A positive momentum continues in Q4.
- The Specialty and Injection Molding subsectors led activity in November, accounting for nearly 75% of all transactions. While most subsectors were largely consistent with year-to-date averages, Specialty volume surpassed this mark by three deals. Notably, the Specialty subsector also posted an eight-deal uptick relative to November 2023 levels
- 21 transactions were attributed to financial buyers, or 59% of all deal volume in the month. Add-on and platform acquisitions both experienced elevated volume from their 2024 averages while strategic buyer activity lagged by two deals
- Deals involving two foreign buyers tied for the largest share of deal flow at 14 deals for the month. Domestic M&A also matched pace with 14 deals in November. US-based buyers investing in foreign entities accounted for 17% of activity, this transaction type’s largest share of deal volume in the year
- The Industrial end market was again the primary driver of deal activity during the month but accounted for a smaller portion of deal activity compared to prior months. Food & Beverage and Medical had strong months, posting the third and second highest volume months in 2024, respectively
Sources: S&P Capital IQ, Company Websites, Pitchbook, Company Reports, PMCF
Major News
- Amcor Acquiring Berry in $8.4B Deal to Create Global Plastics and Healthcare Packaging Giant (Packaging Dive)
https://www.packagingdive.com/news/amcor-acquire-berry-global-konieczny-plastic-film-healthcare/733299/ - Another Push for Production Caps at Plastics Treaty Talks (Plastics News)
https://www.plasticsnews.com/news/eu-joins-push-production-caps-plastics-treaty - Compounding M&A activity slows, but demand remains (Plastics News)
https://www.plasticsnews.com/news/plastics-compounding-ma-activity-slows-demand-remains - Trump’s Win Means Changes in Plastics Environmental, Trade Policies (Plastics News)
https://www.plasticsnews.com/news/trump-win-set-bring-change-environmental-trade-and-plastics-treaty-policies - Hiring Bounced Back With 227,000 Jobs Added Last Month (The Wall Street Journal)
https://www.wsj.com/economy/jobs/jobs-report-november-unemployment-economy-3088b8cc - Powell Says Solid Economy Allows Fed to Consider Rate Cuts ‘Carefully’ (The Wall Street Journal)
https://www.wsj.com/economy/central-banking/powell-says-solid-economy-allows-fed-to-consider-rate-cuts-carefully-3055c890?mod=central-banking_more_article_pos69
Download Plastics M&A Update – November 2024
