Packaging: Sealed Air completes acquisition of Diversey

Sealed Air Corporation announced today that it has completed its previously announced acquisition of Diversey Holdings, a leading solutions provider to the global cleaning and sanitation market. Under the terms of the agreement, Diversey shareholders will receive $2.1 billion in cash and 31.7 million shares of Sealed Air common stock valued at $16.70 per share for a total consideration to shareholders of $2.6 billion. Diversey, based in Sturtevant, Wisconsin, with approximately 10,000 employees and 2010 net sales of $3.1 billion, joins Sealed Air as a reportable segment. The leadership teams of both Diversey and Sealed Air will remain in their roles as integration planning continues.

The acquisition brings together two complementary, leading global organizations focused on protection. Sealed Air now offers the most comprehensive portfolio of solutions and industry expertise in food safety and security, facility hygiene and product protection. Broader capabilities expand our ability to develop inventive end-to-end solutions for the food processing and food service industries, and we can now scale R&D resources, technologies and growth initiatives across a broader range of customers, geographies and applications. Further, we expect to achieve operational cost efficiencies and incremental growth opportunities in industrial and commercial sectors, which use shared distribution channels to reach similar customers.

“I am pleased to formally welcome Diversey’s leadership team and employees to Sealed Air,” stated William V. Hickey, President and Chief Executive Officer of Sealed Air. “Today marks the beginning of an exciting new era of opportunity for Sealed Air, our employees, and the customers we serve. We are now a global leader in protection with inventive solutions in food safety and security, facility hygiene and product packaging that protect what we eat and drink, where we go, and the valuable goods we ship. We commit to deliver solutions that improve safety, efficiency and sustainability using our extensive infrastructure, world class manufacturing principles, expanded R&D capabilities and the tremendous expertise of our global team. We are excited to bring forward innovative solutions that will create measurable value for our customers, enhance the quality of life for consumers, and provide a cleaner and healthier environment for future generations.”

Mr. Hickey continued, “Since announcing the transaction, we have been actively engaged in integration planning to ensure that our new organization is ready day-one to achieve a smooth internal integration and a seamless transition for our customers. And, we have stayed on track to meet our goals. Looking ahead, we are excited about our ability to accelerate development projects, achieve our synergy targets and enhance our financial profile, which will generate solid free cash flow and greater value for Sealed Air and our various stakeholders.”