Acquisitions
We have a successful track record of integrating our acquisitions and rapidly generating returns. We shall continue to seek and execute further acquisitions which meet our established strategic and financial criteria.
Since 1997 we have spent more than £17 billion on the following acquisitions:
2008
Altadis – European leader in the tobacco and logistics sectors and a world leader in the cigar sector.
2007
Commonwealth Brands – Imperial Tobacco acquired Commonwealth Brands, the fourth largest cigarette manufacturer in the United States.
Tremaco – Imperial Tobacco acquired a 66 per cent stake in Tremaco, an Estonian distributor.
2006
Davidoff – acquisition of worldwide Davidoff cigarette trademark. Imperial Tobacco acquired the worldwide Davidoff cigarette trademark.
Gunnar Stenberg A.S. – A Norwegian distributor of tobacco products and accessories is acquired by Imperial Tobacco.
2005
Acquisition of a 43 per cent stake in Skruf, a Swedish manufacturer of snus. The remainder of the business was acquired in 2008.
2004
Business and assets of the CTC Tube Company of Canada. Imperial Tobacco acquired the business and assets of tubes manufacturer CTC Tube Company of Canada.
2002
Reemtsma Cigarettenfabriken GmbH
Imperial Tobacco acquired a 90.01 per cent interest in Reemtsma Cigarettenfabriken GmbH, the German-based international company. The remainder was acquired in 2004.
2001
Imperial Tobacco acquired a 75 per cent interest in Tobaccor, the second largest cigarette manufacturer and distributor in sub-Saharan Africa. The balance was acquired by October 2004.
2000
The Baelen Group, The EFKA Group, Mayfair Vending.
The Baelen Group, a Belgian manufacturer of fine cut tobacco, was acquired.
The EFKA Group, a German-based manufacturer of rolling papers and tubes, became part of Imperial Tobacco.
Imperial Tobacco's vending subsidiary, Sinclair Collis, acquired Mayfair Vending, a UK cigarette vending machine operator.
1999
Brand acquisition in Australia and New Zealand
We acquired a portfolio of cigarettes, fine cut tobacco and rolling papers in Australasia, together with a factory in New Zealand.
1998
The acquisition of Douwe Egbert Van Nelle extended our fine cut tobacco brand portfolio with Drum and Van Nelle.
1997
Rizla
Imperial Tobacco acquired Rizla, the world's number one manufacturer of rolling papers.