Gerresheimer has agreed to sell its Centor business and global Primary Packaging Plastics division to an affiliate of Apax Partners funds in a transaction valued at €1.5 billion. The divestment represents a major strategic shift for the German packaging company, allowing it to reduce debt and focus on higher-value pharmaceutical and healthcare packaging segments.

The two businesses included in the agreement have a combined enterprise value of approximately $1.7 billion. The transactions will proceed separately and remain subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals.

Gerresheimer intends to use the proceeds from the sale to strengthen its financial position and accelerate investment in specialised healthcare packaging solutions.

The sale includes the Centor facility in the United States, which supplies packaging systems for prescription drug dispensing, as well as 15 primary plastic packaging manufacturing sites located across nine countries. Together, the businesses generated around €570 million in revenue during 2025 and employed approximately 2,400 people.

For Apax Partners, the acquisition provides access to established pharmaceutical packaging operations serving global healthcare markets. The businesses specialise in primary plastic packaging and dispensing systems, areas where demand continues to grow due to increasing healthcare consumption, ageing populations and the expansion of drug delivery technologies.

Gerresheimer said the transaction proceeds will be used to optimise its capital structure through debt reduction. Chief financial officer Wolf Lehmann stated that the expected cash inflows, combined with planned refinancing measures, will significantly reduce interest expenses and support a more sustainable financial position.

• Transaction value: €1.5 billion enterprise value.
• Businesses sold: Centor and Global Primary Packaging Plastics.
• Manufacturing footprint: 15 production sites across nine countries plus the Centor US operation.
• Employees affected: Around 2,400 workers.
• Strategic objective: Debt reduction and focus on high-value healthcare packaging.

Gerresheimer CEO Uwe Röhrhoff said the divestment will allow the company to concentrate on areas considered strategically important, including advanced drug delivery systems, medical devices and primary packaging for injectable medicines.

The move comes as Gerresheimer works to strengthen its financial performance following a challenging fiscal year. In FY25, the company reported a consolidated net loss of €318.7 million, compared with adjusted net income of €84.3 million the previous year. Results were impacted by €521.5 million in non-cash depreciation, amortisation and impairment charges.

The company has also been managing broader strategic pressures. In April, Gerresheimer reportedly rejected a takeover proposal from US-based packaging company Silgan, according to Reuters.

The divestment reflects a wider trend in the packaging sector, where companies are reassessing portfolios and prioritising specialised, higher-margin markets. Pharmaceutical packaging in particular has become an attractive segment due to demand for precision, regulatory compliance and advanced delivery systems.

For Gerresheimer, selling its plastics packaging operations marks a move towards a more focused healthcare strategy. For Apax, the acquisition creates an opportunity to expand in essential pharmaceutical packaging markets with established manufacturing capabilities and customer relationships.