Saint Gobain's glass packaging arm has acquired an Algerian company as part of a strategy to gain a foothold in the growing North African market. The French group's subsidiary Verallia announced 30 June it had taken over 100% of Alver, a food and beverage packaging company formerly owned by the Algerian state. Verallia said it was committed to growing production of Alver's plant in Oran, as well as introducing a staff training programme. In 2010 the Algerian company, which employs 474 people, posted sales of around 7M/euros. The buyout underlines Verallia's expansion ambitions, particular in emerging markets, said Pierre-André de Chalendar, chairman and CEO of Saint-Gobain. "This confirms the growth strategy of Verallia, he declared. It establishes Verallia's first industrial presence in the South of the Mediterranean Basin, a market that offers an important potential for the filing of food jars and beverage bottles."
