One of the most energetic growth sectors of the alcohol beverage industry over the past few years has been the spirits market. Cognac, gin, rum, whisky, tequila, vodka….just some of the products enjoying a surge in demand from consumers throughout the world. And part of this growth has been attributed to the emphasis established and craft spirits producers are placing on packaging their products, as style and fashion are as a part of the spirits category as gin and tonic.

While cork might have a closer association to wine, it is also an integral part of spirits packaging. Widely known as the bar-top closure, a cork is attached to finely finished wood or a moulded piece of plastic for closing the spirits bottle and providing a better quality and more aesthetically stylish closure than metal screw-cap.

Amorim has been a major provider of these bar-tops, and has established its position as a global leader by recently acquiring one of the world’s premier producers of this product. In a major announcement, Amorim has entered into an agreement to acquire the company ELFVERSON & Co AB, which has its headquarters in Påryd, Sweden.

ELFVERSON & Co AB was established in 1870 in the town of Kalmar, being transferred to Påryd in 1912, where it has been in operation ever since. The company has been owned by Vätterledens Invest AB since the early 1990s.  The Swedish company produces high quality wooden tops for bar-top cork stoppers, which are used by large groups in the spirits industry and is known for the exceptional quality of its finished product which has led to it achieving the reputation for excellence to which Amorim wishes to be associated.

According to Amorim, the acquisition will also strengthen AMORIM BARTOP’s sources of supply of top quality wooden tops, enabling it to accompany the growing requirements of its customers in the capsulated cork stopper segment.

And through Amorim’s presence in South Africa, local spirits producers can look forward to a continued supply of stylish bar-top options with which to close their elixirs.