Global plastic packaging company Coveris appoints new CEO

Plastic packaging company Coveris has appointed Gary Masse as CEO, effective April 14, 2014.

The company calls Masse "a seasoned, results-driven leader with more than 25 years of experience in the manufacturing sector." He most recently served as CEO of Precision Partners Inc., a $500 million engineering and manufacturing company. Masse succeeds Jack Knott, who will remain involved with the company as a non-executive director on the Coveris board.

This isn't the first change for the newly formed entity. In May 2013, U.S.-based Exopack joined with four European packaging companies — Britton Group, PACCOR, Kobusch, and Paragon Print & Packaging. The combined businesses had previously operated as one global entity under Exopack Holdings S.A., although the five brand names remained in use. However, in November 2012, the company changed its name to Coveris. Featuring a reported aggregate revenues of more than $2.8 billion and more than 8,600 employees, Coveris serves its global customers through a manufacturing base spanning North America, Europe, the Middle East and China. Coveris is an affiliated portfolio company of Sun Capital Partners.

Back in May 2013 when the company was first formed, PlasticsToday talked with then-CEO Knott about the newly formed company and he said that the companies were all very complementary and that by "combining together we end up with a global manufacturing footprint far better than anyone else out there."

He believes the larger scale will enable the company to accelerate the development and commercialization of new and differentiated products that offer its customers a competitive advantage.

"Competition like Berry Plastics is very North American centric, Bemis is North American centric, Amcor is European centric," Knott said. "Based on the market segments we serve and the breadth of products we will offer, plus a global manufacturing footprint and innovation pipeline, it truly allows us to serve a diverse customer base."  

— Heather Caliendo