Rexam
Rexam was a British multinational consumer-packaging company that became a major global manufacturer of beverage cans before being acquired by Ball Corporation in 2016.
Last updated August 25, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
Rexam plc was a British-based multinational consumer-packaging company whose origins lay in the paper-trading business established by William Vansittart Bowater in London in 1881. The enterprise initially supplied newsprint to major British publishers and gradually expanded from agency and paper distribution into pulp, paper manufacturing, packaging and international operations. Its early growth was driven by long-term relationships with newspaper publishers and by investment in large-scale mills in the United Kingdom and overseas. The company’s industrial development accelerated after the First World War. A paper mill at Northfleet began full production in 1925, and further investment followed at Ellesmere Port. By the end of the 1920s, the business had become one of the United Kingdom’s most important newsprint producers. Acquisitions and expansion in the 1930s increased its output substantially, including through the purchase of the Sittingbourne and Kemsley paper mills and the acquisition of pulp and timber interests in Scandinavia and Newfoundland. During the Second World War, restrictions on wood and pulp sharply reduced British production, and the Northfleet operation was closed. After the war, the Bowater organization pursued international growth and diversification. It expanded into packaging, acquired Acme Corrugated Cases, and created a tissue-manufacturing joint venture with the Scott Corporation. The business later rationalized portions of its paper operations as high costs, excess capacity and changing market conditions made the traditional newsprint model less attractive. Bowater’s United States subsidiary was demerged in 1984, while the parent company continued to develop through acquisitions in packaging materials. The purchase of Rexham Corporation in 1987 added plastic, paper and foil capabilities. Acquisition of Dickinson Robinson Group Packaging in 1992 further shifted the portfolio toward packaging. In 1995, the company adopted the name Rexam and refocused its corporate identity around consumer packaging. Over the following two decades, Rexam increasingly concentrated on beverage cans and selected plastic-packaging activities. It sold its glass businesses to Ardagh Glass Group in 2005, acquired O-I Plastics in 2007, and sold its lid-making operations to Berry Plastics in 2011. In 2014, it acquired a majority stake in United Arab Can Manufacturing Ltd. Rexam accepted Ball Corporation’s takeover offer in 2015. The transaction was valued at £4.4 billion in the reported offer terms, and regulatory approval required Ball to divest eight U.S. aluminum-can plants. Ball completed the acquisition in June 2016 for a reported $8.4 billion. Rexam therefore ceased to operate as an independent public company, with its principal beverage-can activities becoming part of Ball’s global packaging business. At the end of its independent existence, Rexam operated approximately 55 plants in more than 20 countries and employed about 8,000 people.
History
Rexam’s history began in 1881, when William Vansittart Bowater established himself in London as a paper agent after working in the Manchester paper industry. The business secured important newsprint contracts with publishers including Alfred Harmsworth and Edward Lloyd. After Bowater’s death in 1907, the company was incorporated as a private limited company in 1910 under the leadership of Thomas Vansittart Bowater. It developed international trading links, including an office in Sydney and a U.S. marketing operation. The company moved decisively into manufacturing after acquiring and developing a site at Northfleet near the Thames. The mill entered full production in July 1925, and Eric Bowater became chairman and managing director in 1927. Capital from outside investors supported expansion, including the development of a second mill at Ellesmere Port beside the Manchester Ship Canal. By 1930, the two mills were producing a significant share of Britain’s newsprint. During the 1930s, the business expanded through acquisitions and vertical integration. It acquired the Sittingbourne and Kemsley paper mills, bought forest interests in Sweden and Norway, and acquired a pulp and paper mill at Corner Brook in Newfoundland. These moves made Bowater one of Europe’s largest newsprint producers. The Second World War disrupted the model: restrictions on imported wood and pulp reduced British output sharply, and the Northfleet mill was closed because of its vulnerability and proximity to occupied Europe. After 1945, Sir Eric Bowater directed the company toward packaging and international diversification. Bowater acquired Acme Corrugated Cases in 1944 and reorganized its interests into subsidiaries. A tissue joint venture, Bowater-Scott, was established in 1956; Scott later bought Bowater’s interest. The company also built new manufacturing capacity in Kent. However, heavy capital requirements, an expensive newsprint cost base and corporate overhead contributed to a later period of consolidation. European assets were sold, North American and British newsprint operations were reduced, and the Northfleet mill eventually closed. Bowater demerged Bowater Inc. in 1984, then acquired Rexham Corporation in 1987. Rexham added plastic, paper and foil packaging capabilities. The 1992 acquisition of Dickinson Robinson Group Packaging strengthened the packaging portfolio, and in 1995 the company changed its name to Rexam, derived from the name of a subsidiary, Riegel Paper America. The rebranding accompanied a renewed strategic emphasis on consumer packaging rather than traditional paper production. Rexam sold its glass businesses to Ardagh Glass Group in 2005 and acquired O-I Plastics in North America in 2007. In 2011 it sold its lid-making operations to Berry Plastics, and in 2014 it purchased a 51 percent interest in United Arab Can Manufacturing. These transactions reflected a continuing effort to focus resources on beverage cans and selected packaging markets. Rexam accepted Ball Corporation’s takeover offer in February 2015. Ball was required to divest eight U.S. aluminum-can plants to address competition concerns. The acquisition was completed in June 2016, ending Rexam as an independent company and integrating its operations into Ball Corporation.
- 2016
Acquired by Ball Corporation
[1]Ball Corporation completed its acquisition of Rexam, reportedly for $8.4 billion.
- 2014
United Arab Can stake acquired
[1]Rexam acquired 51 percent of United Arab Can Manufacturing Ltd for a reported $122 million.
- 2011
Lid-making operations sold
[1]Rexam sold its lid-making operations to Berry Plastics for £222 million in the reported transaction terms.
- 2007
O-I Plastics acquired
[1]Rexam acquired the North American plastic-packaging business O-I Plastics.
- 2005
Glass operations sold
[1]Rexam disposed of its glass-manufacturing businesses to Ardagh Glass Group.
- 1995
Company renamed Rexam
[1]The company adopted the Rexam name and refocused its corporate strategy on consumer packaging.
- 1992
Dickinson Robinson Group Packaging acquired
[1]The acquisition strengthened the company’s position in packaging.
- 1987
Rexham Corporation acquired
[1]The acquisition added plastic, paper and foil manufacturing capabilities.
- 1984
Bowater Inc. demerged
[1]The company separated its existing United States subsidiary through a demerger.
- 1956
Bowater-Scott tissue joint venture formed
[1]Bowater diversified into tissue manufacturing through a joint venture with Scott Corporation.
Products and positioning
A large-scale, multinational consumer-packaging manufacturer, increasingly focused on beverage cans and other high-volume packaging formats in its later years.
Metal packaging
Beverage cans
Beverage cans became Rexam’s defining later product line. The company manufactured aluminum cans for beverage producers across multiple regions and operated a large international network of plants. Its emphasis on scale and geographic coverage made beverage containers the central focus of the business before its acquisition by Ball Corporation.
Consumer packaging · 1987
Plastic packaging
Rexam developed plastic-packaging capabilities through acquisitions including Rexham Corporation and O-I Plastics. These activities covered plastic containers and related packaging formats for consumer and industrial applications, although the company’s later strategy placed greater emphasis on beverage cans.
Flexible and paper packaging · 1987
Paper and foil packaging
Paper and foil manufacturing formed part of the portfolio added through the Rexham acquisition. These materials extended Rexam beyond rigid metal containers and reflected the company’s broader packaging heritage before its later concentration on beverage cans.
Paper products
Newsprint
Newsprint was the historical core of the Bowater business. Through mills in Britain and overseas pulp and paper assets, the company became a major producer and supplier to newspaper publishers. The newsprint operations were progressively reduced as the business shifted toward packaging.
Tissue paper · 1956
Tissue products
Bowater entered tissue manufacturing in 1956 through Bowater-Scott, a joint venture with Scott Corporation. Scott later acquired Bowater’s interest, making tissue a historical diversification rather than a continuing Rexam product line.
Brand decisions
2015
Acceptance of Ball Corporation takeoverM&ABackground
Ball Corporation proposed a combination with Rexam to create a larger global consumer-packaging supplier.
Action taken
Rexam accepted Ball’s improved offer, reported at £4.4 billion or $6.7 billion in the offer terms.
Aftermath
Regulatory remedies included the required sale of eight U.S. aluminum-can plants, and the acquisition completed in June 2016.
Reported takeover offer value. £4.4 billion ($6.7 billion) (2015)
2005
Exit glass manufacturingStrategyBackground
Rexam sought to focus its portfolio on packaging categories with stronger strategic relevance to the group.
Action taken
It sold its glass-manufacturing businesses to Ardagh Glass Group.
Aftermath
The disposal narrowed the portfolio and supported a greater emphasis on beverage cans.
1995
Refocus on consumer packagingStrategyBackground
The company had accumulated packaging capabilities through acquisitions while its traditional newsprint business faced structural and cost pressures.
Action taken
It changed its name to Rexam and repositioned the group around consumer packaging.
Aftermath
The repositioning laid the basis for later concentration on beverage cans and other packaging operations.
Recent events
- 2016
Ball Corporation completes acquisition of Rexam[1]
M&A
Ball Corporation completed its acquisition of Rexam in June 2016. The reported transaction value was $8.4 billion, and Rexam’s independent corporate existence ended.
- 2015
Rexam accepts Ball Corporation takeover offer[1]
M&A
Rexam accepted Ball Corporation’s improved takeover offer, creating a proposed combination of two major global consumer-packaging suppliers.
- 2014
Rexam acquires majority stake in United Arab Can Manufacturing[1]
M&A
Rexam agreed to acquire a 51 percent stake in United Arab Can Manufacturing Ltd for $122 million, expanding its presence in the Middle Eastern beverage-can market.
- 2011
Rexam agrees to sell lid-making operations to Berry Plastics[1]
M&A
Rexam agreed to sell its lid-making operations to U.S.-based Berry Plastics for £222 million, continuing its portfolio concentration on beverage cans and related packaging.
Sources1 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/rexam · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled