Friday, September 8, 2017 11:15 am

NEENAH, Wisconsin (From news reports) -- Amcor Ltd. is considering a takeover of rival Bemis Co., according to people familiar with the matter.

Amcor is working with advisers to explore a bid for Bemis, which has a market value of about $4.3 billion, said the people, who asked not to be identified as the details aren't public. Considerations are at an early stage and it's unclear whether Amcor has made an initial approach to Bemis.

Amcor said in a statement it was "continually reviewing opportunities to improve shareholder value and, as part of that process, regularly assesses a range of strategic options." A representative for Bemis didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

Bemis, based in Neenah, Wisconsin, makes plastic packaging including printed labels for bottles and yogurt-pot lids, as well as machinery that makes packaging for liquids. The company reported net sales of $1.01 billion for the second quarter, missing average analyst estimates of $1.03 billion.

Amcor, which has corporate headquarters in Zurich but is listed in Australia, has a market valuation of about $14.6 billion.

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