In recent years, the prominence of Australian companies in the US marketplace has grown exponentially. The recent buyout of Beringer Wines by Australian beer powerhouse Foster's is a notable example of Australia’s focus in the US market. The success of Australian companies such as Yellowtail Wines and shopping mall conglomerate, Westfield, serve as a reminder of the pervasiveness of our mates from down under.
Last month marked a significant event in both the Australian and US packaging industries. Visy Industries, one of the world's largest packaging materials and recycling companies, and Hartness International, one of the world's best known packaging solution providers, have announced their intent to enter into a far reaching joint venture. The venture has the potential to significantly impact each company's business around the globe, not to mention the packaging industry as a whole.

The details of the agreement were announced late last month in Australia. Visy Automation, the packaging solutions arm of Visy Industries, will represent Hartness International's interests in Australasia. Visy Automation is already one of the largest suppliers of packaging equipment, systems and robot-based packaging automation in Australia, with an established sales, service and technical support network throughout the region.

Visy is a key packaging solutions provider to the Australian beverage industry, and Hartness already boasts Coca-Cola Amatil, Kraft, Orlando Wyndham Wines, Nestle, and Foster's Wine Estates as major local clients. Jointly, Hartness International and Visy Automation now present world-class experience, systems and support capability to the beverage industry in Australasia.

The Australasian joint venture was made public at the Novotel Hotel in Sydney's Darling Harbor and was followed by similar announcements in Melbourne and Auckland. The market presentations were attended by many of Australia's leading consumer products companies, including Kraft, Lion Nathan Breweries, Nestle and Foster’s, as well as members of the Australian packaging media.

"It's rare to find a partnership which offers mutually enhanced capabilities in addition to matching core values, experience and expectations. We're looking forward to demonstrating the power and value of this great partnership to our customers and the broader manufacturing market,” stated Trevor Craven, General Manager of Visy Automation.

Last week's announcement is expected to be the first of two announcements by the industry leaders. In coming weeks, the companies are expected to announce a robotic joint venture called Hartness Visy Automation. The company will be headquartered in Greenville, SC and will offer packaging systems and solutions to clients throughout Europe and the Americas.

Visy Industries, headquartered in Melbourne, Australia, is a multi-billion dollar organization owned by Richard Pratt, one of Australia's best known entrepreneurs. The company specializes in providing packaging materials, including corrugated boxes and plastic bottles, to many of the world's best known companies. Visy's ever growing operations in the US are located in Conyers, GA, and are headed by Anthony Pratt, Richard's son. The company has the distinction of being the largest supplier of recycled board in the United States and Australia. The Pratt family is well known for its commitment to both the environment and its charitable contributions to a variety of causes through the Pratt Foundation, the largest foundation of its kind in Australia.

Hartness International has long been known as one of the world's most innovative packaging solution providers. Headquartered in Greenville, SC, and with offices in Kleve, Germany and Mexico City, Hartness boasts more than 100 patents in over 20 countries.

Like Visy, Hartness is also a third generation, family owned business.