Germany-based MAUSER Group, an industrial packaging company, acquired California Fiber Drum in Merced, California. The company said its acquisition provides MAUSER with a nationwide footprint of fiber drum facilities capable of supplying customers anywhere in North America.

The Merced, California, location for fiber drums in the West is in addition to existing MAUSER fiber drum facilities in Chicago, Illinois, Charlotte, North Carolina, and recently, The Woodlands, Texas. The company said its new MAUSER fiber drum facility in Merced will nicely complement MAUSER's plastic drum facility in Rancho Cucamonga, California.

"Our customers prefer to have high quality, consistent fiber drum solutions available across their entire filling network. Up until now we have been unable to provide that level of support in the western United States," said Siegfried Weber, Sr. VP Global Sales and Marketing, MAUSER North America. "Fiber drums are an important component of our product offerings in North America and this recent acquisition completes our "coast-to-coast" footprint that customers value and expect."

Located in the heart of California convenient to the tomato processing industry and other agricultural processing facilities, MAUSER's latest facility will continue to offer lock ring fiber drums with diameters ranging from 14" to 23" in a variety of materials, lids and liners. In addition, the facility will continue to provide full-fiber drum solutions to the market place in both 14" and 23" diameters as well as exterior weather resistant solutions and decoration alternatives.

"We are very excited about bringing the CFD facility into our MAUSER family of fiber drum locations. And we look forward to build upon the growth this location was able to achieve in such a short time," said Jeff Simmonds, President and CEO, MAUSER North America. "We see the agricultural segment as a growth opportunity for our company and CFD has done an excellent job establishing itself in this market segment. We are confident that this acquisition will not only provide us a more established presence in the agricultural segment, it will also allow us to expand our existing relationships with customers who value the quality and technical support that comes when working with MAUSER."