CCL to Obtain Avery Dennison Businesses

TORONTO—January 31, 2013—CCL Industries has signed a binding agreement to acquire the Office & Consumer Products and Designed & Engineered Solutions businesses of Avery Dennison on a debt-free basis for $500 million cash subject to customary closing adjustments. A syndicate of banks has committed to provide debt financing to close the transaction.

The two businesses had combined revenues of approximately $910 million, with an estimated adjusted EBITDA of $110 million in the calendar year of 2012. Subject to the required regulatory approval, the transaction is expected to close by mid-2013.

Geoffrey Martin, president and CEO of CCL Industries, said, “This acquisition has the potential to transform our company at many levels. We are acquiring the Avery brand as part of the transaction to build on the franchise established for many decades for labels and other printable media that consumers and businesses use in digital computer printers around the world. In addition, we are significantly expanding our CCL Label market sectors with our entry into the North American durable goods market. This acquisition is the largest in CCL’s history and takes the company’s pro-forma annual revenue above $2 billion for the first time. We know both businesses well and have admired the people and the products for many years. We expect the transaction to be accretive on an earnings per share basis in 2014 and beyond, as the valuation falls well within the established financial parameters for CCL’s acquisitions in the label industry over the last decade.”

In related CCL news, the company announced that it will not acquire John Watson & Co. Ltd., a producer of labels for leading distillers of Scotch whisky and other spirits based in Glasgow, Scotland. The proposed transaction was previously disclosed November 20, 2012, but the parties were subsequently unable to reach agreement on contractual terms, and jointly decided to terminate further discussions.

CCL Label will continue to service the spirits industry in Scotland from its existing UK operations in East Kilbride and Castleford.

Source: CCL.