Key Stats
Founded: 1881 in London, United Kingdom
Acquisition Value: $8.4 billion (2016)
Employees: 8,000 (pre-acquisition)
Manufacturing Plants: 55 across 20+ countries
Annual Production: 66 billion beverage cans (2015)
Rexam PLC was a British multinational consumer packaging company headquartered in London, England. The company specialized in manufacturing aluminum and steel beverage cans along with plastic packaging solutions for consumer goods.
With operations spanning more than 20 countries, Rexam served major clients including Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, and AB InBev. The company focused on beverage can segments across Europe, Asia, North America, and South America.
In June 2016, Ball Corporation acquired Rexam for $8.4 billion. This deal created the world’s largest manufacturer of beverage cans. The acquisition combined Ball’s North American strengths with Rexam’s global leadership in metal packaging.
Rexam PLC History
1881
William Vansittart Bowater founded a paper selling business in London after leaving James Wrigley and Sons.
1923
Eric Bowater refocused the business into paper manufacturing under the name Bowater Paper Mills.
1956
Diversified into tissue manufacturing by forming Bowater-Scott, a joint venture with Scott Corporation.
1987
Acquired Rexham Corporation for $240 million, gaining expertise in coated plastics and foil products.
1992
Acquired Dickinson Robinson Group Packaging for £216 million, expanding European rigid plastics operations.
1995
Company renamed from Bowater PLC to Rexam PLC, derived from subsidiary Riegel Paper America.
1999
Acquired Swedish packaging group PLM for £588 million, boosting European beverage can operations.
2000
Purchased American National Can’s metal beverage can business for $2.1 billion, becoming a global leader.
2005
Sold glass manufacturing businesses to Ardagh Glass Group to concentrate on beverage can production.
2007
Acquired O-I Plastics from Owens-Illinois for $1.83 billion, strengthening the plastics portfolio.
2016
Ball Corporation completed acquisition of Rexam PLC for $8.4 billion, creating the world’s largest beverage can maker.
Rexam PLC Co-founders
William Vansittart Bowater
Manchester-born entrepreneur who founded the company in 1881 at age 43 after leaving his position at James Wrigley and Sons paper business. He established himself as a paper agent in London.
Eric Bowater
Son of William Bowater who transformed the business in 1923 into Bowater Paper Mills. He focused on international expansion and packaging, making Bowater the world’s largest newsprint producer by the mid-1950s.
Rexam PLC Revenue
Rexam achieved annual revenue of approximately £3.9 billion in 2015 with a workforce of around 8,000 employees. The company returned approximately £1.6 billion in cash to shareholders between 2010 and 2015 while transforming into a focused beverage can manufacturer.
Rexam PLC Market Cap
Before its acquisition, Rexam traded on the London Stock Exchange under the ticker REX. Ball Corporation paid approximately £4.4 billion ($6.7 billion) for the company in February 2015, with the total transaction value reaching $8.4 billion including debt assumption.
Rexam PLC Acquisitions
Rexam PLC built its beverage can empire through strategic acquisitions spanning two decades. The company transformed from a paper manufacturer into a global packaging leader by purchasing complementary businesses across multiple continents.
The 1987 acquisition of Rexham Corporation for $240 million marked the company's pivot toward packaging. This North Carolina-based manufacturer brought expertise in coated plastics, paper, and foil products. The deal laid the foundation for Rexam's future expansion into consumer packaging.
In 1992, Rexam acquired Dickinson Robinson Group Packaging for £216 million. This purchase established a leading position in rigid plastics for food, beverage, and healthcare applications across Europe. The company followed this with the 1999 acquisition of Swedish packaging group PLM for approximately £700 million, which significantly boosted beverage can operations in Europe.
The $2.1 billion acquisition of American National Can's metal beverage can business in 2000 positioned Rexam as a global leader in aluminum cans. This deal added significant U.S. production capacity and transformed the company into one of the world's largest beverage can manufacturers.
Rexam continued expanding with the 2007 acquisition of O-I Plastics from Owens-Illinois for $1.83 billion, strengthening its plastics portfolio. In February 2014, the company acquired a 51% stake in United Arab Can Manufacturing Ltd for $122 million, entering the Saudi Arabian market.
Major beverage companies like Red Bull and Heineken relied on Rexam's extensive manufacturing network for their can supply needs. The company also divested non-core assets, selling its lid-making operations to Berry Plastics for £222 million in 2011 and its glass business to Ardagh Group in 2005.
Rexam PLC Competitors
Before its acquisition, Rexam competed against major global packaging companies in the beverage can market. Ball Corporation, Crown Holdings, and Ardagh Group together controlled approximately 60% of the global two-piece can market.
| Company | Headquarters | Primary Products |
|---|---|---|
| Ball Corporation | Colorado, USA | Aluminum beverage cans, aerosol containers |
| Crown Holdings | Pennsylvania, USA | Metal beverage cans, food cans, closures |
| Ardagh Group | Luxembourg | Metal and glass packaging |
| Silgan Holdings | Connecticut, USA | Metal food containers, closures |
| CCL Industries | Toronto, Canada | Labels, specialty packaging |
| Amcor | Zurich, Switzerland | Flexible and rigid packaging |
| Toyo Seikan | Tokyo, Japan | Metal cans, PET bottles |
| Can-Pack Group | Krakow, Poland | Aluminum beverage cans |
| CPMC Holdings | Hong Kong | Metal packaging products |
| Envases Universales | Guatemala | Aluminum cans for beverages |
FAQs
Who owns Rexam PLC now?
Ball Corporation acquired Rexam PLC in June 2016 for $8.4 billion. The acquisition created the world's largest beverage can manufacturer with operations across five continents.
When was Rexam PLC founded?
William Vansittart Bowater founded the company in 1881 as a paper selling business in London. It was renamed Rexam in 1995 after decades as Bowater.
What products did Rexam PLC manufacture?
Rexam specialized in aluminum and steel beverage cans for beer, soft drinks, and energy drinks. The company also produced plastic packaging for healthcare and beauty products.
How many employees did Rexam PLC have?
Rexam employed approximately 8,000 people across 55 manufacturing plants in more than 20 countries before its 2016 acquisition by Ball Corporation.
Why did Ball Corporation acquire Rexam PLC?
Ball acquired Rexam to expand global market share and create manufacturing efficiencies. The deal combined Ball's North American strength with Rexam's European and South American operations.