The Cork-based packaging group announced yesterday (3 June) that it had acquired Empire Tapes, a Wath upon Dearne, Rotherham-based manufacturer of specialist adhesive tapes, and Rio Tinto Plásticos, a Spanish distributor and manufacturer of sustainable packaging products, based northeast of Madrid.
“These strategic moves (…) further reinforce the company’s commitment to innovation, sustainability, and customer-centric solutions,” the group added.
Empire Tapes has more than 20 years of expertise in high-performance adhesive technologies and serves industrial clients across the UK and globally. This deal will enhance Zeus’ industrial packaging capabilities and expands its specialist offering in technical adhesives such as double-sided, masking, and barrier tapes.
Meanwhile, the group said the acquisition of Rio Tinto Plásticos further consolidates its position in the Iberian Peninsula.
Headquartered in Alcalá de Henares and operating under the Rio Tinto Eco-Solutions brand, the company is known for its sustainable, single-use packaging products for the vending, hospitality, and catering sectors. This deal also builds on a longstanding commercial relationship between the two companies.
Brian O’Sullivan, founder and owner of Zeus Group, said: “These acquisitions reflect Zeus’ ambition to deliver world-class, sustainable packaging solutions by combining technical excellence with local market insight.
“Empire Tapes and Rio Tinto Plásticos are both highly respected operators in their fields. Their addition to the Zeus family brings new capability, enhanced customer value, and an even stronger platform for future growth across Europe.”
Gerardo Paredes, general director of Rio Tinto Plásticos, will remain in post and take on a leadership role in Zeus’ Food Packaging Division.
Dean Sherriff, chairman of Empire Tapes, meanwhile said he welcomed the opportunity to accelerate his company’s growth and technical development under Zeus’ ownership.
According to Companies House, Zeus Packaging Investments (Uk) Limited was notified as “a person with significant control” of Empire Tapes Ltd on 28 May 2025.
Zeus said both acquisitions will unlock operational synergies and commercial opportunities, with Empire Tapes enhancing the group’s industrial adhesive capability, while Rio Tinto’s focus on biodegradable and compostable products complements Zeus’ environmental agenda.
Shared systems, overlapping infrastructure, and mutual customer bases in the Iberian region and UK will drive integration efficiencies and enable innovation-led growth, the group added.
The two acquisitions are projected to add €20m (£16.8m) to Zeus’ annual revenues, pushing the group’s total revenue beyond €500m this year.
Last year Zeus acquired independent integrated corrugated manufacturer Weedon Group.
This followed the acquisitive group’s 2023 purchases of Italian paper and board convertor Cima Paper, Northern Irish print and packaging business James Hamilton Group, and Polpack in Poland.
It had acquired Swanline Group and its sister company BoxMart, as well as Canadian agricultural supply business Agri-Flex, in 2022.
