Europe’s largest mobile canner will now operate a fleet of 15 lines serving 7 countries
Mullingar, Ireland | 01 March 2022: Bevcraft Group, has today completed the acquisition of the mobile canning business of Them That Can in a move which will deliver significant service level improvements to the UK craft beverage market including enhanced market coverage and capacity.
Them That Can’s mobile fleet, equipment and associated crews will join Bevcraft’s UK division with the enlarged offering operating as Craft Canning UK. There will be continuity of service to all existing Them That Can mobile customers.
The transfer will allow the management of Them That Can to focus on opportunities in the static canning market and to benefit from access to Bevcraft’s supply chain for these retained activities.
Service Improvements
Bevcraft has in recent years developed the most extensive integrated craft can supply chain in Europe with mobile canning, can distribution and decoration facilities across sites in Ireland, the UK and the Netherlands. These are complemented by laboratory, technical support and line servicing centres.
Recently Bevcraft commissioned Europe’s very first Tonejet Digital Print plant at its Peterborough site which provides an environmentally sustainable, economic and versatile decoration option for cans entirely free of minimum order restrictions. Launched with an initial 330ml capability, it will expand to include 440ml and 500ml next quarter. These services will be immediately available to all existing Them That Can customers.
The transaction will see Bevcraft’s team increase towards 40 people across all divisions and support further investment in Client Services, Engineering, Laboratory and Digital Print divisions.
Commentary
Commenting on the deal Darren Fenton, COO of the Bevcraft Group, said:
“The UK craft beer market is one of the most vibrant and exciting in the world and for the last six years Them That Can has worked hard to create the UK’s leading mobile canning service.
We have always respected the Them That Can team and we are now very excited for them to be part of our shared story as we both embark on the next chapters of growth which will deliver further improvements to the market.”
Mobile canning is a very visible activity and one which demands best practice and attention to detail. We have for years been investing in testing protocols, quality operating standards and maximum transparency across our network. These are values shared by Them That Can which we look forward to continuing and building upon.”
In relation to the market Ciarán Gorman, CFO of the Bevcraft Group, said:
“Craft Beer has come a long way since the very first mobile canners popped up in the US a decade ago. Today there is a greater range of requirements than ever before as breweries try to right size there packaging capabilities to the market. It is clear that there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution which is why Bevcraft has focused on creating a complete menu of commitment free solutions.
Our job is to make mobile canning as convenient, cost-effective and flexible as possible for breweries as they scale from zero up towards a million units / year and if the time comes to give in-house a go; we are there to deliver whatever elements they need from can supply through to support and training.
Every brewery has its own unique circumstances. One of the most interesting patterns over the last year has been an uptick in demand for mobile canning from breweries who experimented with ‘in-house’ canning and have since found it more economic to revert to mobile canning to eliminate the headache of sourcing cans, managing decoration, retaining quality canning crews and to release the capital tied up in equipment.”
Transaction Details
Bevcraft Group were delighted to retain RBK (Athlone, Ireland) for Corporate Finance requirements on this transaction and Royds Withy King (Bath, UK) for Legal Advisory.
Consideration for the transaction is not disclosed. Acquisition management and integration will be led by Henry Reilly and Michael Briody who are part of Bevcraft’s senior management team.
About the Bevcraft Group
The Bevcraft Group is a ‘craft can’ specialist first established in Ireland in 2016 by Ciarán Gorman and Darren Fenton. The Group today has operations across six locations in Ireland, the UK and the Netherlands and handles c. 100m cans / annum.
Bevcraft provides a range of services including mobile contract canning, can distribution, can decoration, testing, servicing, and training. All services are unbundled so that craft beverage producers can ‘pick and mix’ the options that suit them. Typically, services are available on-demand, commitment free.
In March 2022, Bevcraft Group was listed on the FT1000 Fastest Growing Companies list in Europe in 165th place, making it the 2nd highest ranked Irish company.
About Them That Can
Them That Can launched one of the first mobile canning operations in the UK following their incorporation in 2015 and quickly emerged as the quality leader in the UK market.
Led by Jamie Kenyon, Mark Banks and Peter Haydon; the Them That Can fleet has become a familiar sight across the length and breadth of the country.