DS Smith Acquisition & Valuation

SKC Co Ltd is a Korea-based company engaged in the manufacture and supply of chemicals and industrial films. The company operates through three segments: the Chemistry segment, which produces POD and related chemical products; the Semiconductor Material segment, which manufactures semiconductor test sockets and related materials; and the Secondary Battery Material segment, which produces copper foil and other battery components. It generates the majority of its revenue from the Chemistry segment.

Ambuja Cements Ltd manufactures and sells cement, concrete, and cement-related products to the building and construction industries. The company's portfolio of products includes Portland Pozolona cement and ordinary Portland cement. The vast majority of the firm's revenue is generated in India. Ambuja Cements has operations throughout India and uses a network of ports, bulk cement terminals, captive ships, and railroads to transport its products to both warehouses and directly to customers. The company also has a technical services team that partners with customers to teach concrete mixing and curing techniques.

BlueScope is an Australia-based steelmaker with five business units. The Australian steel products segment mainly specializes in branded coated and painted flat steel products, sold domestically. North Star is the group’s US minimill, specializing in the production of hot rolled coil for US construction and automotive sectors. Building products Asia operates across Southeast Asia, China, and India, and the US building and coated products North America is involved in metal coating and painting, and the supply to nonresidential construction projects using BlueScope’s materials. New Zealand steel and the Pacific Islands business produces flat and long steel products for New Zealand and building components for the Pacific Islands.

CCL Industries Inc manufactures and sells packaging and packaging-related products. The company operates through various segments, which include The CCL segment, which generates the majority of revenue, and sells pressure-sensitive and extruded film materials used for labels on consumer packaging, healthcare, automotive, and consumer durable products. The Avery segment sells software, labels, tags, dividers, badges, and specialty card products under the Avery brand. The Checkpoint segment includes the manufacturing and selling of technology-driven, inventory management and labeling solutions. Innovia segment manufactures specialty films. Its geographical segments include Canada; USA and Puerto Rico; Mexico, Brazil, Chile, and Argentina; Europe; and Asia, Australia, Africa, and New Zealand.

Posco Future M is in the business of coal chemistry and carbon materials. Its key business includes refractory manufacture and sale, furnace construction and maintenance, lime business, environmental business, comprehensive chemicals, carbon materials, and secondary battery anode materials, among others. The group operates in two segments: Basic Materials Division, which includes Refractory Business, Lime Mars Business, and Energy Materials Division, which includes the manufacture and sale of cathode and cathode materials. It generates the majority of its revenue from the Energy Materials Division.

Dai Nippon Printing Co Ltd operates in various business areas using its printing and information technologies. The company operates in the following segments: Life & Healthcare, Electronics, and Smart Communication. Its key revenue is derived from the Smart Communication segment, which includes the imaging communication business, focusing on photo printing, the Information Security business, providing business process outsourcing (BPO) and smart card services, and content & XR communication. The Life & Healthcare segment includes its mobility and industrial high-performance materials business, bulk pharmaceutical manufacturing and medical packaging, and the packaging, living spaces, and beverages businesses. Electronics focuses on functional films, display components, and others.

Shree Cement Ltd manufactures and sells cement and cement-related products to the building and construction industries. It derives revenue from cement, clinker, and power sales, of which cement products contribute majorly to the revenue. The cement products are offered under the brands Shree Jung Rodhak and Bangur. Geographically, the company's majority of the revenue is generated within India.

Crown Holdings is one of the world's largest producers of metal packaging. The company manufactures beverage cans, metal food cans, and closures as well as aerosol cans. With the purchase of Signode, the company also has a presence in a wide variety of protective transport packaging. Although it's headquartered in the United States, the vast majority of Crown's sales come from its operations in Europe, South America, and Southeast Asia.

Buzzi SpA manufactures, distribute and sell cement, ready-mix concrete and aggregates. The company has geographical segments: Italy; Central Europe; Eastern Europe; and United States of America. It derives maximum revenue from United States of America.

Anhui Conch Cement mainly engages in the production and sale of cement, clinker, and concrete in China. The company was established in 1997 and headquartered in Anhui province. With annual cement production capacity of over 400 million metric tons in 2024, the firm is the second-largest cement manufacturer in China. Sales of self-produced products contribute to about 80% of its revenue, with the remainder mainly from the trading business and service income.

Avery Dennison Corp provides materials science and digital identification solutions, offering labeling and functional materials, RFID inlays and tags, software connecting physical and digital, and products that enhance packaging and customer experience. Serving industries including retail, apparel, e-commerce, logistics, food, pharmaceuticals, and automotive it operates through two reportable segments: Materials Group, which manufactures and sells pressure-sensitive label materials, graphics, reflective products, performance tapes, and other adhesive solutions, and earns the majority of revenue; and Solutions Group, which provides brand and price tickets, tags, labels with RFID inlays, and related services, supplies, and equipment.

BUA Cement PLC is engaged in the manufacturing and sale of cement to the general public. The company generates revenue from the sale of bagged cement and sale of bulk cement. Geographically the company generates the majority of its revenue in Nigeria.

Cemex SAB de CV is a ready-mix concrete company that mainly engaged in activities that are oriented to the construction industry, mainly through the production, marketing, sale, and distribution of cement, ready-mix concrete, aggregates, urbanization solutions, and other construction materials and also provide related services and reliable construction-related services to customers and communities and maintain business relationships in more than 60 countries throughout the world. The company operates in different parts of the world, with operations in Mexico, the United States, the EMEA region and the SCA&C region.

James Hardie is a manufacturer of fiber cement-based building products, selling primarily to the residential construction industry. North America is the primary geography, generating about 80% of group earnings. Here, it is the largest manufacturer of fiber cement, which is mainly used for exterior siding on houses. Following the Azek acquisition in 2025, it also produces wooden composite decking materials, siding trims, and accessories for outdoor areas including stair and deck railing. Businesses in Australia, New Zealand, and Europe, make up the rest of earnings.

Mountain View-headquartered Zume is a sustainable packaging company producing biodegradable alternatives to single-use plastics for foodservice. The firm partners with distributors in over 25 countries, including Packme Ltd in the UK, Rausch Verpackung GmbH in Germany, and Ultra Pac in Chile. Zume's molded fiber products replace foam and plastic containers for global manufacturers.

Loscam is a Sydney-headquartered provider of returnable packaging pooling solutions operating in 12 Asia-Pacific countries including China, Australia, and Singapore. Established in 1942, China Merchants Loscam delivers pallets, crates, and trays for supply chains in manufacturing, retail, and food sectors. It maintains a fleet of over 20 million units and emphasizes sustainable practices through reusable assets, holding leading positions in Southeast Asia logistics networks.