Business

Graham Packaging Company, the blow-moulded plastic container specialist, is to close its plants in Lakeland, Florida and Montgomery in Alabama with the loss of 20 jobs.

Production of containers made at the two affected plants will be moved to other plants in Graham Packaging's network.

The company's container plant in Lakeland will close on 9 October, while its plant in Montgomery is scheduled to stop production on 1 November.

In July, Graham Packaging Holdings was bought by acquisition vehicle Hicks Acquisition Company with The Blackstone Group.

Graham Packaging produces more than 20 billion containers annually at 83 plants in North America, Europe, and South America. It had sales of $2.5bn (£1.4bn) in 2007.