Greif (GEF) 11th Annual Waste and Environmental Symposium summary

Business overview and strategic transformation

• Operates in 39 countries with 250 plants, focusing on industrial packaging and customer service excellence.

• Major transformation included exiting low-margin businesses, closing 100 plants, and improving EBITDA margins from below 10% to mid-teens.

• Acquired Caraustar in 2019, expanding into recycled paper products and becoming a top recycler of OCC in the U.S.

• Entered Jerry Can market through Lee Container and IPACKCHEM acquisitions, targeting higher-margin, less cyclical markets.

• Resegmented business into customized polymer, durable metal, sustainable fiber, and integrated solutions for better operational alignment.

Growth, profitability, and market focus

• Set a target to exceed $1 billion EBITDA by 2027 and achieve over 18% margins.

• Focused on expanding in high-growth, less cyclical sectors like agriculture and pharmaceuticals.

• Investments in IBCs and plastics, including building new operations and acquiring recycling businesses like Tholu and Centurion.

• Jerry Can and polymer solutions offer higher margins, with some segments reaching 25% EBITDA.

• Emphasizes sustainability, with all products designed for recyclability and closed-loop systems.

Operational efficiency and cost management

• Announced a $100 million cost takeout plan through 2027, focusing on automation and AI.

• Targets $15–25 million in savings in the current year, with a higher run rate expected.

• Realignment by product type enables easier integration of acquisitions and operational best practice sharing.

• Maintains a disciplined capital allocation strategy, prioritizing debt reduction and high-return investments.

• Land divestitures expected to generate over $300 million, supporting debt paydown and strategic objectives.