Sealed Air, the Charlotte packaging heavyweight behind Bubble Wrap and CRYOVAC food film, officially went private on April 9, 2026, after funds affiliated with private equity firm Clayton, Dubilier & Rice wrapped up a buyout. The move ends Sealed Air’s run as a publicly traded company and stops trading of its common stock on the New York Stock Exchange. For Charlotte, it means one of the region’s most recognizable industrial employers has exited the public markets.
As reported by Charlotte Business Journal, the acquisition, first announced in November, closed on April 9 and the company has now ceased trading on the NYSE. Funds affiliated with CD&R own the company, and the local report notes that final shareholder and regulatory steps were completed ahead of the close.
The deal and the buyer
The purchase puts Sealed Air’s enterprise value at about $10.3 billion and pays $42.15 per share to stockholders, according to a press release from CD&R. The firm said it plans to work with Sealed Air’s leadership to invest in the company’s Food and Protective businesses and support operational improvements over time, signaling a longer-term play rather than a quick flip.
Charlotte footprint and workforce
Headquartered in Charlotte, Sealed Air sells household-name packaging brands including BUBBLE WRAP® and CRYOVAC®. The company reported roughly $5.4 billion in sales in 2025 and about 16,100 employees worldwide, according to Sealed Air. Local managers and workers will be watching CD&R’s first moves closely, since private equity ownership commonly pairs cost-cutting programs with targeted capital spending.
Market and index moves
S&P Dow Jones Indices said Diebold Nixdorf will replace Sealed Air in the S&P SmallCap 600, effective before the market opens on April 10. The timing mirrors the deal’s completion on April 9. That index shuffle is the clearest market signal that Sealed Air has exited public trading and that passive funds tracking the benchmark will remove the stock from their portfolios, according to S&P Dow Jones Indices.
How the deal came together
The sale was announced on Nov. 17, 2025. The board and shareholders approved the transaction during a special meeting on Feb. 25, and Sealed Air said it secured the remaining regulatory clearances on March 23, clearing the path for an April close. Those milestones were laid out in the company’s regulatory filings and investor releases, according to Sealed Air.
What management and the buyer said
Rob Volpe, a partner at CD&R, said, "Sealed Air is an exceptional global business with a talented leadership team, leading franchises and attractive underlying fundamentals," and added that CD&R was committed to supporting investment in the company. The buyer has framed the deal as a platform to accelerate innovation and capability investment rather than a short-term financial maneuver.
What’s next for Sealed Air in Charlotte
Both sides have emphasized that Sealed Air’s headquarters will remain in Charlotte, although detailed operational plans and any workforce impacts have not been shared publicly. Financial advisors to the transaction included Evercore and a syndicate of banks, and local officials say they intend to press the new owners for clarity on investment and jobs as CD&R sets its priorities in the coming weeks.
