At the end of 2016, the Czech supplier of papermaking technology carried out an acquisition of another competitor from Western Europe with the aim to strengthen its market position for production of not only tissue papers.
The Czech company PAPCEL is a leading supplier of complete technology for production of all commercially available paper grades. In the last three years, the company PAPCEL realized the acquisitions of several competing companies from Western Europe, thus significantly strengthened its market position. This year, PAPCEL plans to reach the revenues level of 1.7 billion CZK.
By the end of 2016, the Italian company GapCon tissue S.r.l. joined the PAPCEL Group of companies. Following the acquisition of the Italian group Comecart (Burgo Group), the French company ABK Machinery and the Spanish company Gorostidi, another world famous manufacturer of technology for packaging grades as well as graphic and tissue papers joined the PAPCEL Group of companies.
The Italian GapCon is an established manufacturer of paper technology with a strong customer base in Europe, Asia and Latin America. GapCon owns a number of patented technologies. When delivering tissue technology, GapCon is one of the few suppliers offering a very unique concept of Shoe press positioning in the paper machine press part. GapCon employs almost 30 employees, has a very strong team of experts with experience acquired from many investment projects worldwide, supplies the paper machines on a turn-key basis and has a team of experts in engineering, assembly and commissioning. In its history, GapCon has executed a number of paper machine installations, in particular for the production of packaging grades and tissue paper.
Through the acquisition of GapCon, the Czech company PAPCEL has expanded the team of experts, strengthening the design department and manufacturing facilities. GapCon will become the competence centre for research, development and delivery of tissue machines. The synergy of the companies will allow extending the distribution network, increase direct sales and the number of reference projects.
GapCon has gained references in paper groups and paper mills as ProGest Group, Naini Group of Industries, KMK Paper, Arjo Wiggins, Georgia Pacific, Ecopaper, etc. At the beginning of this year, GapCon has successfully commissioned a new Tissue Machine in Argentina (machine width on reel 3,450 mm).
For the first time, the Group will be introduced at the exhibition Tissue World Milan, which will be held in April 2017.