Guala Closures announces strategic acquisition of Metal Crowns

Guala Closures, a global leader in specialty beverage closure solutions, has signed an agreement to acquire Metal Crowns Group, East Africa’s foremost manufacturer of crown corks and plastic closures for the bottling industry.

Founded in 1978 and based in Nairobi, Metal Crowns Group serves blue-chip global customers in the beer and carbonated soft drinks sectors across East Africa and has two production plants in the region. Metal Crowns Group has generated aggregated revenues of approximately €32 million in the 12-month period ending in July 2025.

This strategic acquisition will allow Guala Closures to expand its presence in the fast-growing East African markets, supported by favourable demographics, economic development, and rising consumption, confirming the region as one of the main drivers of growth for the Group.  

“This acquisition marks a major milestone in our global growth strategy” said Andrea Lodetti, CEO of Guala Closures. “By combining our international expertise with Metal Crowns’ local strength, we aim to build a solid platform to drive sustainable growth and innovation across the region. Leveraging Metal Crowns’ longstanding relationships with global customers, we expect to gain further opportunities to expand into other East African countries”.

Gurdipsingh Parmar, who currently serves as Executive Director of Metal Crowns, will continue to hold this position.

The transaction represents a further step in the development of the Group’s global crown closures division, which was established in 2024 and has been growing through targeted, value-adding organic and inorganic initiatives. In addition, it allows Guala Closures to enter the plastic closures market for non-alcoholic beverages, complementing its current portfolio.

Guala Closures has been present in East Africa since 2017, with the establishment of Guala Closures East Africa. In 2018, it began operations with a plant in Nairobi dedicated to serving the local spirits market with complex anti-counterfeiting closures integrating advanced technologies.

Completion of the transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals, and is expected to take place in the first quarter of 2026.