Carlsquare advised KKR on the sale of Petainer Ltd., a global packaging provider, on its sale to Ara Partners

Petainer is a technical and innovation leader in the development and manufacture of sustainable, high-performance polyethylene terephthalate (PET) packaging solutions for blue chip customers in the soft drinks, beer, water and other CPG sectors. The Company has particular strengths in refPET (multiple-use, refillable bottles), rPET (recycled PET) and circular applications, offering a wide range of sustainable PET packaging solutions which allow its customers to reduce their carbon footprint. The Company is headquartered in London and operates eight sites in Europe, the Americas and Asia to serve customers globally.

Ara Partners is an ESG-focussed private equity firm specialising in industrial decarbonisation investments, seeking to build businesses which provide a significant sustainability impact. They operate from offices in: Houston, Boston, and Dublin. Ara Partners closed its second fund with approximately USD 1.1 billion in capital commitments in September 2021.

Hugh Ross, CEO of Petainer, stated: “Ara’s investment focus on industrial decarbonisation as well as its expertise and existing presence in the plastics recycling industry in Europe and America make them a uniquely valuable partner for Petainer. Ara’s ownership will significantly enhance Petainer’s ability to invest in expansion alongside our multi-national customers as these customers implement their global sustainability and circularity strategies.”

Christopher Picotte, a partner at Ara Partners, noted: “Petainer is a compelling addition to Ara’s portfolio of companies working to decarbonise the packaging industry through technical innovation and best practices. From its product leadership in the refPET and rPET markets, to the certified carbon neutral manufacturing at its Lidköpking factory in Sweden, the Company has consistently achieved success in decarbonising both its products and its own operations. We look forward to working with Hugh and his team and supporting Petainer in its future growth.”

Carlsquare acted as the exclusive financial advisor to KKR and Petainer.