Reusable packaging and supply chain solution innovator Tosca is acquiring Contraload NV, a European developer of plastic pallet pooling, the companies announced on 29 June.
The acquisition of Contraload expands Tosca’s reach into the United Kingdom and the European Union, and further diversifies the company’s product portfolio, it said in a press release.
“The combined company will offer customers a stronger value proposition through increased network density and an expanded product offering,” Tosca said.
Funds advised by Tosca’s parent company, Apax Partners, will “commit additional capital ... to fund the acquisition of Contraload,” the firm noted. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
"Tosca's acquisition of Contraload, a leader in plastic pallet pooling in the United Kingdom and European Union, establishes our combined company as an even stronger partner for our customers globally and allows us to continue to propel the reusable revolution," Tosca CEO Eric Frank said.
Over the course of its 60-year history, Tosca has grown as a North American provider of reusable packaging and supply chain solutions to a variety of markets – today, the company is considered to be the largest RPC pooler in North America. More than 1,236 people are employed by Tosca, which was acquired by Apax in 2017 and operates 29 service centers worldwide.
Aartselaar, Belgium-based Contraload specializes in upstream reusable plastic pallets and containers for the fast-moving consumer goods industry and other commercial markets in Europe. The business, which was founded in 2004 and runs using a Pan-European pooling service, employs 150 people. It offers outsourced pallet and layer-pad conditioning, and management services for customer-owned asset pools. Currently, the company has approximately three million units in use, serving close to 3,000 companies.
"Having built Contraload into the leader in pooling plastic pallets, layerpads, and IBCs in the B2B environment across Europe, we are excited to join with the Tosca team through this transaction. Our companies have a shared commitment to service excellence, innovation and reducing waste throughout the supply chain," Contraload Founder and Managing Director Jesse Sels said.
Ashish Karandikar, a partner with Apax Partners, believes the Contraload merger represents another phase in Tosca’s “last-mile” evolution.
"Three years ago, we partnered with Tosca's management team to build a world-class pooling business that brings sustainability, innovation, and value to customers' supply chains," Karandikar said. "The acquisition of Polymer in 2019 established Tosca's 'last-mile' capabilities in Europe. The combination with Contraload represents another important advance as it brings together Tosca's last mile capabilities with Contraload's offerings in the 'first mile' of a product journey – thereby creating unique visibility and value for customers. The combined organization offers a strong global network, an expanding reusables portfolio, improved research and development, and custom capability for all customers from CPGs to grocery chains."
