Rexam, London, agreed to acquire Delta Plastics Inc., Hot Springs, Ark., for $154 million. Rexam also will build a new beverage can-making plant in Cuiabá, Brazil, to meet the increased demand in the region. And in Berlin, Rexam will convert its beverage can plant from steel to aluminum. The conversion is a direct response to Germany’s planned introduction of a nationwide return system for one-way containers in May 2006.

Ampac Packaging LLC, Cincinnati, formed Ampac Flexibles from the recently acquired Kapak Corp., Minneapolis, Flexicon Inc., Chicago, and Ampac’s existing Performance Films group in Cincinnati. Going forward, Kapak and Flexicon will operate under Ampac Flexibles - Converted Products and the company’s existing Performance Films group will operate as Ampac Flexibles - Performance Films.

Toyota Materials Handling opened its National Customer Center at its manufacturing facility, Toyota Industrial Equipment Manufacturing (TIEM), in Columbus, Ind. The $11 million investment added 108,000 square feet to the TIEM campus through an expanded distribution center and a newly designed customer center.

NatureWorks LLC, Minnetonka, Minn., instituted a large-volume “buy-back” program in North America for post-consumer PLA bottles in mixed plastic waste recycling streams. The program provides an additional landfill waste diversion option for corn-based NatureWorks PLA. Through the buy-back program, commercial Municipal Recycling Facilities would separate post-consumer PLA bottles into PLA bales meeting a predefined specification, resulting in truckload quantities (40,000 pounds). NatureWorks LLC will buy these bales at an agreed-upon price and route them to an appropriate end-of-life solution and/or post-consumer use based on geography of collection and prevailing market economies.

Portola Blow Mold Technologies will consolidate all of its business operations at the existing Portola Packaging Inc. facility in New Castle, Pa. During the next four to six months, Portola Allied Tool, Portola Dairy Fabrication, Portola Technical Service and the new Reciprocating Screw Machine businesses will move to the 60,000-square-foot New Castle facility.

Illochroma Labelling Group and Spear have merged their European operations. The new company will operate under the name IlloSpear, which was initially created as a joint venture in November 2003 to develop and sell clear labeling systems for the beverage industry.

Barry-Wehmiller Co. Inc., St. Louis, has acquired certain assets of CVC Systems, Union City, Calif. CVC will be integrated into the operations of Barry-Wehmiller subsidiary FleetwoodGoldcoWyard in Fort Collins, Colo. In addition, Barry-Wehmiller signed a definitive purchase agreement under which Paper Converting Machine Co., Green Bay, Wis., will be acquired, adding converting as a fourth major operating platform to the company.

CCL Industries Inc., Willowdale, Ontario, has acquired Inprint Systems Ltd., Ashford, England. Inprint Systems is a privately held manufacturer of specialty label products with plants in the Netherlands, United Kingdom, Italy and the United States.

Markem Corp., Keene, N.H., has launched a new, enhanced Web site that offers improved navigation, enhanced technology pages, increased global content and a way for companies to help identify the best products for their applications.