Thimm Group is a leading provider of sustainable packaging and display solutions made from corrugated cardboard.
May 25, 2026 - The family that owns the Thimm Group has decided to sell the company to the Saica Group. Founded in 1949 by Walter Felix Thimm, the company is a leading provider of paper-based corrugated packaging and display solutions in Europe with headquarters in Northeim, Germany.
The parties have agreed to keep the purchase price confidential.
"After two years of successfully consolidating our business, we have spent recent months intensively considering how to position our company securely for the long term," said Mathias Schliep, Chairman of the Board of Directors at Thimm Group. "We are convinced that in a highly competitive market, only a small number of large players will be able to gain market share in the future. We therefore decided to sell the company to the largest family-owned company in the European industry in order to secure Thimm's growth prospects and long-term future under a strong umbrella."
The Saica Group has its headquarters in Zaragoza, Spain and is one of Europe's leading paper and packaging manufacturers. Founded in 1943, the family-owned company generated revenues of around EUR 3,962 billion in 2025 with more than 12,000 employees.
Saica operates worldwide with 112 sites in Western Europe, Poland and the United States. The Thimm Group comprises sites in Germany and Eastern Europe. Saica intends to continue operating within the existing structures.
The two family-owned companies have maintained a close partnership since the late 1990s, including a strategic sales alliance and a joint venture in Poland.
"Both families have known each other across generations," Schliep pointed out. "Our cultures and the values of both companies are an excellent fit."
As part of the transaction, the Thimm family will fully exit the company.
"While this step has not been easy for the families, it is taken in the conviction that it provides Thimm with the best possible prospects for a sustainable future development," Schliep noted. "The transaction creates a strong family-owned group in Europe with a solid long-term perspective. Saica's financial strength provides a reliable foundation to manage a cyclical business and to support continued growth through targeted investments in technology and digitalization. Saica is therefore an ideal partner for us."
Susana Alejandro, President and CEO of Saica Group, stated, "We look forward to welcoming our new colleagues in Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic and Romania, and to further developing our culture and values together: caring for the future, valuing people and embracing the challenges ahead. Thimm brings strong regional capabilities and a customer-driven approach in markets where Saica has not previously operated. Together with Thimm, we see significant potential to further strengthen our leading position in the highly competitive European market."
The transaction is subject to approval by the relevant antitrust authorities.
Saica Group has an annual production capacity of about 4.4 million short tons of recycled paper for corrugated board. The Group has four business lines: Saica Paper (recycled paper for corrugated board), Saica Natur (waste management and environmental services), Saica Pack (production of corrugated board packaging), and Saica Flex (flexible packaging).
Thimm Group is a leading provider of sustainable packaging and display solutions made from corrugated cardboard. The product portfolio includes transport, shipping and sales packaging for consumer goods, standardized merchandise-bearing displays and high-quality preprints for industrial processing. The independent family-owned company employs over 2,500 people at eleven locations in Germany, France, Poland, Romania, and the Czech Republic.
SOURCE: Thimm Group and Saica Group